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emily_madcharo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
readacorn's review against another edition
5.0
Beschreibung
Die Geschichte der leidenschaftlichsten und durchtriebensten Großmutter aller Zeiten
Am Anfang tut sie alles, um nicht Großmutter zu werden: Im Jahr 1978 ist Rosalinda wild entschlossen, die Schwangerschaft ihrer viel zu jungen und viel zu dummen Tochter zu beenden. Doch das misslingt, und sobald Aminat auf der Welt ist, entbrennt ein rücksichtsloser, grotesk-komischer Kampf um sie.
Jenseits des Urals herrschen klare Verhältnisse: Die Tatarin Rosalinda bestimmt, ihr Gatte Kalganov spurt, und ihre Tochter Sulfia benimmt sich schlecht. Es mangelt an vielem, aber nicht an Ideen, und schon gar nicht an Willenskraft. Es steht also immer etwas Scharfes auf dem Tisch, und alle größeren Malheurs, die Sulfia anrichten könnte, werden verhindert. Nur ihre Schwangerschaft nicht, und auch nicht die Geburt von Aminat, dem genauen Gegenteil ihrer Mutter: schön, schlau, durchsetzungsfähig – ganz die Großmutter eben.
Rosalinda steht zum ersten Mal einem Geschöpf gegenüber, das ihr ebenbürtig ist, und wird die leidenschaftlichste Großmutter aller Zeiten. Im ungleichen Kampf zwischen der glücklosen Sulfia und der rücksichtslosen Rosalinda wird das Mädchen zur Wandertrophäe – und der Leser zum Zeugen haarsträubendster Ereignisse, komischster Szenen, schlagfertigster Dialoge.
Kurzmeinung
Rosalinda ist in ihrem Narzismus unglaublich, mehr als einmal fiel mir beim Lesen tatsächlich die Kinnlade runter. Sie ist unausstehlich, ungebildet und herrschsüchtig; mit ihr leben zu müssen wäre unvorstellbar. Als Leser möchte man sie aber am liebsten dauernd begleiten und sich aus sicherer Distanz liebevoll über sie wundern.
Ich habe nun sämtliche bisher auf deutsch erschienen Titel der Autorin auf meine Merkliste gesetzt.
Die Geschichte der leidenschaftlichsten und durchtriebensten Großmutter aller Zeiten
Am Anfang tut sie alles, um nicht Großmutter zu werden: Im Jahr 1978 ist Rosalinda wild entschlossen, die Schwangerschaft ihrer viel zu jungen und viel zu dummen Tochter zu beenden. Doch das misslingt, und sobald Aminat auf der Welt ist, entbrennt ein rücksichtsloser, grotesk-komischer Kampf um sie.
Jenseits des Urals herrschen klare Verhältnisse: Die Tatarin Rosalinda bestimmt, ihr Gatte Kalganov spurt, und ihre Tochter Sulfia benimmt sich schlecht. Es mangelt an vielem, aber nicht an Ideen, und schon gar nicht an Willenskraft. Es steht also immer etwas Scharfes auf dem Tisch, und alle größeren Malheurs, die Sulfia anrichten könnte, werden verhindert. Nur ihre Schwangerschaft nicht, und auch nicht die Geburt von Aminat, dem genauen Gegenteil ihrer Mutter: schön, schlau, durchsetzungsfähig – ganz die Großmutter eben.
Rosalinda steht zum ersten Mal einem Geschöpf gegenüber, das ihr ebenbürtig ist, und wird die leidenschaftlichste Großmutter aller Zeiten. Im ungleichen Kampf zwischen der glücklosen Sulfia und der rücksichtslosen Rosalinda wird das Mädchen zur Wandertrophäe – und der Leser zum Zeugen haarsträubendster Ereignisse, komischster Szenen, schlagfertigster Dialoge.
Kurzmeinung
Rosalinda ist in ihrem Narzismus unglaublich, mehr als einmal fiel mir beim Lesen tatsächlich die Kinnlade runter. Sie ist unausstehlich, ungebildet und herrschsüchtig; mit ihr leben zu müssen wäre unvorstellbar. Als Leser möchte man sie aber am liebsten dauernd begleiten und sich aus sicherer Distanz liebevoll über sie wundern.
Ich habe nun sämtliche bisher auf deutsch erschienen Titel der Autorin auf meine Merkliste gesetzt.
spinstah's review against another edition
4.0
After a very startling opening, this book quickly grew on me. The story is told through the perspective of Rosa, a Tartar woman who believes the world revolves around her. While I never really came to sympathize with her, I did eventually get a sense of her motivations and some of the psychology behind her actions. The book centers around Rosa, her daughter and granddaughter, and Rosa's attempts to control their lives as much as possible.
I won't go into the plot, as the description above does it much better than I could. I really enjoyed it, and if this keeps popping up on your radar, too, you should read it.
I won't go into the plot, as the description above does it much better than I could. I really enjoyed it, and if this keeps popping up on your radar, too, you should read it.
audaciaray's review against another edition
5.0
Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine is told from the first person perspective of Rosa, who is a manipulative, controlling woman who rules the roost and dominates (and, well, pretty much ruins) the lives of her husband, daughter, and granddaughter. Bronsky's rendering of the unlikeable, untrustworthy narrator is stunning, upsetting, and often hilarious. I really enjoyed this book - it was fascinating to see the world through the narrator's delusional, sometimes (inadvertantly?) evil eyes, while trying to see what was really going on, and the damage she was doing to the people she purported to love - or at least, the people who were necessary to her in some way.
leslielu67's review against another edition
4.0
By the reviews, I thought the main character would be sharper. Still, a thoroughly enjoyable read, especially when the daughter tries to out-maneuver her mother.
amycrea's review against another edition
4.0
Holy cow, there are just not many narrators more unreliable than Rosa Achmetowna. This is quite the wild ride of a book, starting in the USSR in 1978 with Rosa and her daughter Sulfia, who has just become pregnant through--ahem--magical means. And it goes on from there. At turns funny and terrifying.
kategci's review against another edition
3.0
This is translated from the German and is told from the point of view of an overbearing, always correct mother who becomes a grandmother. She always needs to be in control, as she moves her family out of Soviet Russia before the fall of Communism and spends most of her days scheming and trying for a better life for her daughter and granddaughter. It is at times a humorous story and the main character, Rose is often quite a horrible, rude person. This novel has a different sensibility then most American novels, but like the other Europa editions I have read this book was a good read.
camilleisreading24's review against another edition
4.0
The narrator of this story, Rosalinda Achmetowna, is by far one of the most memorable characters I've read.
Rosa lives in Soviet Russia with her "soft, jellyfish-like" husband, Kalganow, and her "useless" daughter, Sulfia. When Sulfia unexpectedly gets pregnant, Rosa tries to get rid of the baby. The baby is born, despite Rosa's efforts, and with her dark eyes and hair, is a Tartar through and through. So now Rosa is obsessed with little Aminat and over the years tries to wrestle the child away from Sulfia. Through a few bad marriages and lots of growing pains, this trio of women exemplifies the dysfunctional family. Eventually Aminat is a teenager and when she catches the eye of a sleazy German cookbook writer, Rosa seizes on the chance to ferry away herself, daughter, and granddaughter to Germany. Once they are settled in the West, however, Rosa finds herself rapidly losing her powers of manipulation in the face of her Sulfia and Aminat's new freedoms.
This book is hilarious and dark. Rosa is an amazing narrator-- she is so sure of the validity of her own desires and the (often morally corrupt) means she takes to satisfy those desires. Whether she is literally kidnapping Aminat, telling the kindergarten teachers that the child's mother is mentally inept and unable to care for the child, or bribing officials with chocolates, or wheedling the best bread/meat/produce out of vendors (no easy feat considering she lives in the USSR), I got the impression that Rosa would thrive in ANY environment. Her ability to provide for herself is unmatched. Her narcissism and machinations blind her to the fact that her actions are usually not benefiting her loved ones in equal measure.
I really enjoyed reading a book set in Soviet Russia, that felt kind of contemporary and didn't revolve around war/politics. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of daily life there. Rosa is a scheming, selfish, terrible person, but I also kind of love her. Definitely recommend!
Rosa lives in Soviet Russia with her "soft, jellyfish-like" husband, Kalganow, and her "useless" daughter, Sulfia. When Sulfia unexpectedly gets pregnant, Rosa tries to get rid of the baby. The baby is born, despite Rosa's efforts, and with her dark eyes and hair, is a Tartar through and through. So now Rosa is obsessed with little Aminat and over the years tries to wrestle the child away from Sulfia. Through a few bad marriages and lots of growing pains, this trio of women exemplifies the dysfunctional family. Eventually Aminat is a teenager and when she catches the eye of a sleazy German cookbook writer, Rosa seizes on the chance to ferry away herself, daughter, and granddaughter to Germany. Once they are settled in the West, however, Rosa finds herself rapidly losing her powers of manipulation in the face of her Sulfia and Aminat's new freedoms.
This book is hilarious and dark. Rosa is an amazing narrator-- she is so sure of the validity of her own desires and the (often morally corrupt) means she takes to satisfy those desires. Whether she is literally kidnapping Aminat, telling the kindergarten teachers that the child's mother is mentally inept and unable to care for the child, or bribing officials with chocolates, or wheedling the best bread/meat/produce out of vendors (no easy feat considering she lives in the USSR), I got the impression that Rosa would thrive in ANY environment. Her ability to provide for herself is unmatched. Her narcissism and machinations blind her to the fact that her actions are usually not benefiting her loved ones in equal measure.
I really enjoyed reading a book set in Soviet Russia, that felt kind of contemporary and didn't revolve around war/politics. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of daily life there. Rosa is a scheming, selfish, terrible person, but I also kind of love her. Definitely recommend!
staklene_perle's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
nuhafariha's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Rose's unreliability and grandeur especially in the end. The author never makes it clear whether Armanita is actually there or if Rose is simply dreaming just as she is when she is talking to Sulfia.