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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Compelling characters with issues portrayed really REAL
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
La vida d'una parella, el dia a dia, la nena que va creixent, pensaments desgavellats, filosofades, New Age, els dies van passant, el text no té cap estructura, la traducció d'en Yannick Garcia podria ser millor... Amb un 20% de l'obra n'he tengut prou.
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The layout of Department of Speculation, as an emotional autopsy of a young woman trying to bring up a young child and keeping a husband happy without sacrificing her commitment to succeeding as a writer, might not seem marvelous. More like the ultimate cliché. The zooming in on the microcosmos of intense collisions rarely exchanged upon in such detail (even between friends) as big brother shame acts as the most powerful self-censorship, does. The aphoristic vignette-style format works cumulatively and (away from spewing out words and words) oh so effectively: it is compact, provocative, healing, and lethal. This stuff is real. And heartbreakingly beautiful in capturing the sensational exasperation, tedium, and unbounded joy of being. Jenny Offill’s writing is sublime, even though it slightly felt as coming apart at the seams at the end (perhaps intended just like the crumbling marriage).
A lovely little book, understated but evocative. There's incredible tenderness here, as well as a lot of pain, some humor, and some hope.
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
This was a very quick read. The format (very short - paragraph length - vignettes) leaves a surprising impression. And I dog-eared quite a few pages with reflections I found so GOOD in what they were saying and the few words in which they were written.
"How has she become one of those people who wears yoga pants all day? She used to make fun of those people. With their happiness maps and their gratitude journals and their bags made out of recycled tire treads. But now it seems possible that the truth about getting older is that there are fewer and fewer things to make fun of until finally there is nothing you are sure you will never be."
"How has she become one of those people who wears yoga pants all day? She used to make fun of those people. With their happiness maps and their gratitude journals and their bags made out of recycled tire treads. But now it seems possible that the truth about getting older is that there are fewer and fewer things to make fun of until finally there is nothing you are sure you will never be."
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity