Review: Swan Song
As the writer of In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Truman Capote already scored himself a place as a pop culture legend. So what are we to expect of a book to explore the man himself? We’re glad to report this book is a masterpiece in itself.
Swan Song follows Capote’s friendships with the crème de la crème of Manhattan society. It is a fictional reimagining of his relationship with high and mighty allies and his epic self-sabotage at the height of his power. As you read through this novel, you’ll come to meet Capote’s ‘swans’. These are of course the beautiful and wealthy women he surrounds himself with (think Babe Paley, Slim Keith, Jackie O and Lee Radziwell), who delight in his witty tales and gossip. Expect glamour, name-dropping, affairs and martini soaked lunches. But also ready yourself for the moment it all comes crashing down because whilst this novel revels in those heady days, it also helps us to better understand who Capote was and to try to comprehend why he was so hellbent on destroying his own success.
While the book receives some criticism that it is too long, we found ourselves devouring it over the course of a week and savouring in the name dropping of the beautiful and wealthy. We found ourselves Googling the swans to drool over their impeccable style and rereading scandalous paragraphs over and over.
Star Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We’ve given Swan Song an 8/10 for its witty, delectable prose and its ability to transport you to a world of glamour and style. If you’re looking to be whisked away to a more elegant time, this is your next read.
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Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.