Reviews

A Mountain to the North, A Lake to The South, Paths to the West, A River to the East by László Krasznahorkai

julie_sapienza's review

hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ratkingmebitch's review

emotional informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

kelleydoesbooks's review

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

le_lobey's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

A meticulous project from Krasznahorkai that straddles the line between "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and Alan Moore's Jerusalem. He's reaching for the ineffable, propelled by the paradoxical immaculateness and brutality of human design and of the natural world.

jonnymaserati's review

challenging mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

vermilious's review against another edition

mysterious relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

erlhu's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

thelexritchie's review

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

5.0

kari_f's review against another edition

challenging reflective

3.5

I find stream of consciousness books to be fascinating, but I’ll admit I also have a hard time following them and often have to read passages multiple times to really glean what’s being said and done. More-so with a book like this one, with mysterious settings and indeterminate time and existential explorations. Our main character, self-described as the grandson of Prince Genji, explores a seemingly infinitesimal monastery garden while exploring the possibility of infinity as a concept.

While it’s a physically short story, this book contains multitudes and isn’t one to rush through. In fact, it took me longer to journey through than books five times its size, but I’m glad I took my time to reread passages and ponder them.

If you’re a fan of bizarre yet beautiful literature and existential thought through stream-of-consciousness, this is the book for you!

jessg17's review

adventurous challenging informative mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75