The flawless novel

I think that it isn't really possible to talk about a "flawless novel", inasmuch as literature (especially prose rather than poetry as JBI pointed out at the beginning of the thread) is not a science and inevitably all novels are filtered through the subjectivity of the reader, who is then called to "like" or "not like" certain aspects of it.

If flawless perfection consists in a complete adherence to certain models, or to a certain narrative/formal/thematic scheme, then I would see it as a deep contradiction of what literature and art in general means to me.

If by flawless we mean simply something we can't seem to dislike in any way whatsoever, well I think that depends fully on individual tastes and interests. MissScarlett said that many think that "novels should be flawed because they are about human beings and human beings are flawed"; in fact I think that what allows us to favour certain novels over others is our own individual predisposition to overlook their so-called flaws and interpret them as characteristic qualities.

I'd say we have to say flawless with regards to the knowledge of humanity's flaws and obsessions, expressed poetically. Thus, I'm leaning towards The Great Gatsby, because it does have flaws, but the analysis of the human condition is spot-on.

Quote:

---

I'd say we have to say flawless with regards to the knowledge of humanity's flaws and obsessions, expressed poetically. Thus, I'm leaning towards The Great Gatsby, because it does have flaws, but the analysis of the human condition is spot-on.

---

Funny because on reading the title to this thead i immediately thought of "Revolutionary Road" which is often compared to Gatsby. To my mind Yates' novel is the greater achievement; not only his prose matchless but the cumulative effect is more revealing, more compelling than Fitzgerald's undeniably superb novel.

Actually, I've decided that I'd like to nominate 'The Remains of the Day' as well.

Pushkin's Eugene Onegin could be, but that's a novel in verse. Does it count?