Peter Rushforth Criticism
Peter Rushforth, an English novelist, is best known for his debut novel, Kindergarten. This work explores the juxtaposition of historical horrors, specifically those of Nazi Germany, with contemporary issues like modern-day terrorism. Rushforth employs a unique blend of fairy-tale imagery and the innocence of childhood to tackle the fundamental conflict between good and evil. Despite its imaginative ambitions, the novel has prompted varied critical responses. Iain Finlayson views it as a detached fairytale, while Kirkus Reviews argues that its rich thematic parallels and frequent literary references diminish its central narrative. Yet, Judy Cooke appreciates its originality and moral insight, despite occasional lapses in narrative momentum. Meanwhile, Barry Yourgrau highlights its cultural and multi-dimensional meditation on suffering, albeit noting weaknesses in character authenticity. Christopher Lehmann-Haupt finds that despite its sentimentality, the novel affirms civilization through its complex imagery. Critic John Calvin Batchelor sees the reliance on fairy-tale resolutions as charming yet problematic. Overall, Kindergarten stands as a significant literary exploration of innocence and evil.
Contents
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English Fiction: 'Kindergarten'
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In the following essay, Iain Finlayson critiques Peter Rushforth's Kindergarten as a sentimental novel that, while addressing themes of historical cruelty to children, remains detached from real-world horror, resembling a fairytale that lacks the immediacy necessary to prepare children for life's realities.
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Fiction: 'Kindergarten'
(summary)
In the following essay, Kirkus Reviews criticizes Peter Rushforth's debut novel Kindergarten for its excessive thematic parallels and literary allusions, suggesting they overshadow the potential of the main story and undermine the novel's effectiveness.
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Into the Oven
(summary)
In the following essay, Judy Cooke praises Peter Rushforth's Kindergarten as an original and morally insightful novel that skillfully intertwines narratives of a family's grief with historical letters from Jewish parents during the Holocaust, although it occasionally loses momentum when compassion for the protagonist's suffering overshadows narrative pace.
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Cultural Collage
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In the following essay, Barry Yourgrau analyzes Peter Rushforth's novel "Kindergarten," describing it as an intricate, multi-dimensional cultural meditation that interlaces fairy tales, historical texts, and vivid imagery to explore themes of childhood, family, and suffering, but criticizes its characterization and dialogue as lacking authenticity.
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'Kindergarten'
(summary)
In the following essay, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt critiques Peter Rushforth's novel "Kindergarten" as a work that, despite perceived sentimental tendencies, powerfully affirms civilization and culture through its complex imagery and themes of innocence lost and restored in the face of 20th-century horrors.
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Kids against Evil
(summary)
In the following essay, John Calvin Batchelor critiques Peter Rushforth's novel Kindergarten, noting that while it balances sentimentality and anger about the innocence of childhood and the harshness of the world, the novel's reliance on fairy tales for resolution is both charming and questionable in a modern context.