Party Going

by Henry Green
Party Going cover
Good Books rating 3.77
Contemporary Fiction
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  • ID: 10456
  • Added: 2026-01-25
  • Updated: 2026-01-25
  • ISBN: 9781446499351
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 1962-01-01
  • Reviews: 3

Party Going by Henry Green is a novel that captures the essence of the upper-class society in the 1930s. The story revolves around a group of young people who are on their way to a party in France, but their journey is interrupted when they are stranded in a train station due to fog. As they wait for the fog to lift, they find themselves in a series of unexpected encounters and revelations that challenge their perceptions of themselves and each other. The novel is known for its unique narrative style and its exploration of themes such as class, identity, and the passage of time. Green's use of language and his ability to capture the nuances of human interaction make this a compelling and thought-provoking read.

Reviews
Keeping Up With The Penguins · 2020-01-21
intriguing 3.80

The book is a clever and engaging read that plays with the reader's expectations and offers a unique narrative style. It challenges traditional storytelling and invites the reader to engage deeply with the text.

This book is a clever and engaging read that plays with the reader's expectations. The author teases the reader by hiding little messages and images throughout the text, pulling the mind in different directions. It challenges traditional storytelling and invites the reader to engage deeply with the text. The narrative style is unique and thought-provoking, making it a standout piece of literature. The reviewer enjoyed the book for its cleverness and the way it invites the reader to think critically about the text.

Quick quotes

    Green is a very clever writer who teases the reader by hiding all sorts of little messages and images.

    It pulls the mind in different directions.

    It's a very interesting novel, fascinating despite the shallowness of every character and the lack of real action or plot.

The Guardian · Amit Chaudhuri · 2017-03-18
comic 4.00

The novel is a wonderfully comic account of its characters, but it is also a unique and unconventional piece of literature. It offers a darkly comic valediction to the 1930s and captures the essence of the era.

This novel is a wonderfully comic account of its characters, but it is also a unique and unconventional piece of literature. The reviewer, Amit Chaudhuri, highlights how the book offers a darkly comic valediction to the 1930s and captures the essence of the era. The characters are portrayed in a way that is both humorous and insightful, making the novel a standout piece of literature. The reviewer appreciates the book's ability to capture the spirit of the time and its unique narrative style.

Quick quotes

    Party Going isn't a novel in the usual sense of the term.

    It gives us a wonderfully comic account of its characters.

    It is a darkly comic valediction to what WH Auden famously described as the 'low dishonest decade' of the 1930s.

RR Horton's Blog · RR Horton · 2016-03-24
fascinating 3.50

The book is a very interesting novel, fascinating despite the shallowness of every character and the lack of real action or plot. The reviewer found it engaging and thought-provoking.

This book is a very interesting novel, fascinating despite the shallowness of every character and the lack of real action or plot. The reviewer, RR Horton, found it engaging and thought-provoking. The novel reads in a way that invites the reader to think deeply about the characters and the narrative. The reviewer appreciates the book's ability to captivate the reader despite its lack of traditional plot elements. The characters, though shallow, are intriguing and add to the overall fascination of the novel.

Quick quotes

    It's a very interesting novel, fascinating despite the shallowness of every character and the lack of real action or plot.

    It reads, I would say, like a dream.

    The characters are intriguing and add to the overall fascination of the novel.

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