"I love "The Last Unicorn"--I've probably re-read it at least half a dozen times. When I saw "A Fine & Private Place" in the bookstore yesterday, a special re-released version of a yet unread Peter Beagle book, I had to get it. I flew through it on a stunning day at the beach. There are a couple of lines in here that were particularly gorgeously crafted and followed me throughout the book. Apt, since it's a book about ghosts and hauntings.

Surprisingly, it doesn't read like a first novel. The language is gorgeous, the storytelling effortless and the characters are alive, flawed and beautiful. Considering it takes place in a graveyard, this book isn't particularly spooky. But if you think hard enough about the deeper meanings, it is possible to feel quite despondent about death. But don't. I don't think that's what he intends, at all."

"I should have loved this when I was Laura's age, or maybe even as a teen, romantic and idealistic and all. But I wasn't really into this kind of stuff then. Now that I'm older than Klapper, I can appreciate the charm and the poetry and the themes better. The raven almost steals the show imo. And I like that in another language the title is "Hey Rebeck!"

btw, I did not actually read the edition shown so I have no idea whether I read the complete or definitive edition. It seemed fine. Anyway, I just chose the cover that I liked best. Laura has black hair, otherwise some of the other covers are ok.
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So, even more powerful, several years on. I admit, I hardly remembered it, but my review does stand. With the additional note that this would make a fantastic buddy read or choice for book club. So much to discuss. What is love, when one cannot touch one's beloved? Can any good come from hiding from the world? What is one capable of doing for a friend? What is friendship? What is the value of memory? Etc. etc.

Early in the book we spend more time with the raven. At one point he gifts us this insight: "Goddam organizers, he thought. You get something good going, and somebody comes along and organizes it. He told himself that this was inevitable, the way of the world, but it bothered him. The raven would have been in favor of a movement in the general direction of chaos, consternation, and disorganization, had he not known that such a project would require the most organization of all. Besides, there would undoubtedly be a squirrel running it."

But his perspective is not completely dropped. He also provides just the right small note that isn't as somber as most of the rest: "Hummingbirds are great. ... You should have seen me when I found out I wasn't ever going to be a Hummingbird. I cried like a baby. Hell of a thing to tell a kid."

The people are more complex and more anguished, mostly: "There isn't too much we can do for ourselves or each other, ... except be in love because it's a little better than not being in love."

Highly recommended if you're in the mood for something philosophical, rather brilliant at times, and have the time to savor it a bit. (It took me three bedtimes and part of a day.)"

"Hm... I love Peter S. Beagle's style. I love his ideas and I love the way he puts words together. Logically, I should love everything he writes, right? Well, apparently I don't.

When I started reading A Fine and Private Place, the back cover (which is the summary above) and the first chapter or so really pulled me in. But then it slowed down and stayed slow. Hopelessly slow. It took me forever to read because I'd curl up with it and there was nothing to keep me awake. In 260-something pages, pretty much nothing happens. And as I almost never fail to mention, that usually doesn't bother me because I focus more on characters and character development than I do on plot. However, in this case, the characters seemed flat and a little boring. There was one "twist" that I hope wasn't actually supposed to be a twist because it was so obvious. And other than that, it was just a lot of somewhat confusing philosophy. Or perhaps it wasn't confusing but I just didn't agree with it? I'm not sure. Whatever the truth of it is, this book just wasn't really for me.

However, it was technically very well-written, as one expects from Peter S. Beagle. If anyone reading this is a fan and hasn't read this book, I'd say give it a try. It may not have made it onto my ALL TIME FAVORITES list, but I'm not at all sorry that I read it."

"I really don't know what to say about A Fine and Private Place. It's a sweet, touching ghost story about love, life, death and homelessness. There's a man who's run away from live and spent 19 years living in a graveyard. There's a widow who meets him while visiting her husband's grave. There's a young man ghost who has allegedly been poisoned by his wife. There's a beautiful young woman ghost who was hit by a truck. Add a raven and a really bad night guard (bad as in he doesn't guard well) and you have the cast of characters for this charming piece.

A Fine and Private Place has a lot of promise and charm, but it doesn't live up to the promise. I liked it a lot, but I didn't love it. I don't regret the time I spent reading it, I'm just glad I got it at the library."