Reviews

The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy

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starrybooker's review against another edition

5.0

The love I feel for Deborah Levy’s work cannot be quantified. This is the second one of her living memoirs I’ve read, which are about nothing and also everything.

I couldn’t even tell you exactly what compels me so much to her work, other than the prose is kind of perfect and filled with such human emotion. Absolutely beautiful, love her work.

arletemontv's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

sprout_monster's review against another edition

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reflective

4.0

I liked her observations of men's egos trying to smother women.

sylvana_ca's review against another edition

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inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

andallherbooks's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

lilanye's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

3.0

The Cost of Living is a memoir, the second book in Deborah Levy’s Living Autobiography trilogy. While I loved the first book of essays in the trilogy, this one did not hit the spot.

This book was strongest when it was discussing feminist issues; nameless wives, men taking space, that scene in the train… It had a feeling of Woolf’s room of one’s own, yet never fully engaging with the concept. Instead, the narration was full of rambling fillers that made me unfocused from what I thought was the main theme, and just tired. I kept hoping for a point to arise.

Is it sacrilege to hope this was more edited in substance?

Beautifully written and eloquent, yet left me feeling a little empty.