What do readers think of The Last Enchantments by Charles Finch? Write your own review.

At 55 years old, it is quite possible I am simply too old to understand or have any empathy for this character and his friends. I definitely did not care about them in any way. The character goes from the insulated world of Yale to the insulated world of a political campaign back to the insulated world of Oxford University. Will and his friends feel they know of the world. Oh please. These self-indulgent, spoiled babies know nothing of real life and when it comes, it's going to hit them hard. Wouldn't bet they will be able to handle it, despite their prestigious education.

When I start reading a book, I am always hopeful that I will be able to develop, at the very least, an understanding of the main character(s). Unfortunately, this did not happen for me. This book just irritated. I wanted to slap Will and his friends. I had the same feeling of wasting my time that I did after reading Catcher in the Rye a few years ago with my book club.

I found The Last Enchantments to be an interesting book, both liking and disliking elements. Overall, I would rate it 4 out of 5. The book did keep me interested enough in the characters to keep reading until the end, even when I found them shallow at times. I believe the shallowness was more the characters' behaviors, not the writing or the character development. Personally, I had a hard time identifying with the lack of responsibility of most of the characters. I found the consistent bending of the truth a bit unsettling.

During the year that the book covers, it focuses on a group of grad students at Oxford. The diversity of the group was well done and gave some perspectives from several backgrounds. The main character was from America and since the narrative was from his perspective it was often colored by that. In addition, the main character had a leaning towards political work, and therefore was colored by his political beliefs. I felt these sometimes got in the way of the story and became more of a political statement than necessary.

Overall, an interesting read and I generally liked the writing.

The setting of Oxford outshines both the characters and plot of this novel. Liked Finch's writing style and may be interested in picking up his next effort. But, must say that this fell short of both my expectations and those books currently in my "To-Be-Read" pile.

The author captured the essence of going to college and experiencing life. The title summed it up wonderfully. The experiences that Will went through in England, after already starting a life with Alison. Also, the fact that he had a job working in politics and then to go across the ocean to study abroad. I enjoyed the author's style of writing. This book is a very enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend this book to a book club.

Certainly this novel had some very appealing themes: academic stimulation, freedom to choose when to work and when to relax, escapism and of especially friendship. Will Baker, the protagonist, is immersed in an academic environment studying literature, a topic that he relishes. The author gives us great detail about Will's excitement in studying and learning. He is able to research and write intensely on his own schedule and is also able to socialize, drink, party and have deep involvements with his new Oxford friends and lovers whenever he chooses. Charles Finch does a magnificent job of conveying a young man's daily academic life, exuberant friendship with housemates along with his angst of deep and complicated love for Sophie. The reader is treated to great discussions of the complexity of human interactions. However, the novel is, in the end, a slice of life. The novel tells us of one year in a young American man's life in Oxford, England between 2004-2005. Although the writing was quite good, the descriptions were often long winded. The details of Will's daily life became uninteresting after 2/3 of the novel because there was no significant change or revelation into how the year transformed him. The reader gets the feeling that Will shall forever see the pinnacle of his life be the year at Oxford, and frankly, it really isn't that interesting to the rest of us.

I didn't like this book. There wasn't any excitement or plot, just mostly descriptions of Oxford's campus. I was disappointed.

Will Baker goes to Oxford at age 25 for a year of advanced study. There he drinks, parties, drinks, plays games, drinks, has an affair, drinks, falls in love, and yes, drinks some more. The plot was pretty predictable. I learned a lot about Oxford, and its customs and buildings. That was the best part of the book for me. I felt like I was there, only sober.

Last Enchantments tells the of the journey of a group of friends from college to adulthood. Will Baker leaves the security of a job and a girlfriend in New York to study in Oxford for one year. The beauty of Oxford is stunning but life is not perfect. The group of friends are all struggling to find a place in the adult world. Bill falls in love with Sophie but both are in another relationship. Bill is yearning for an ideal life in Oxford - but it does not exist. I enjoyed this book because it told the universal story of growing up. Would recommend it for a book club.