| Re: The Prestige by Christopher Priest
Well, I've now read the book. I liked the movie better, although very likely because I saw it first. I agree with faery_queen that the revenge plot seemed more authentic in the film. It was easier to understand why the feud went on so long when they had each done the other so much harm. Easier, too, to understand why Angier was willing to go to such amazing lengths to outshine Borden.
And then, knowing Borden's secret, all the hints in the journal seemed so knock-you-over-the-head obvious, it felt like he was belaboring the point. But of course my reaction is tainted by having seen the movie, so perhaps that's not a fair reaction. A story like this one with so many twists and turns is bound to suffer when the reader knows them in advance.
One thing I did like about the book was that I wasn't treated to the spectacle of so many squashed birds. That's a big point in its favor. |