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elisanolasco's review against another edition
Was struggling to get grasped. Tried listening to the same stories multiple times and always started daydreaming so decided to put it down, at least for now.
lindserature's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
“This anti-description, for want of a better way of putting it, had made something clear to her by a reverse kind of exposition: while he talked she began to see herself as a shape, an outline; with all the detail filled in around it whole the shape itself remained blank. Yet this shape, even while its content remained unknown, gave her for the first time since the incident a sense of who she now was.”
This is a novel that is both simple and complicated. It is about a writer teaching a class in Athens, and is told through the conversations she has with people: friends, students, airplane seatmates. That is as much of a summary as this book has, though the themes brought up are considerably more intricate. There is no real central conflict; Cusk instead opts for more outer conflicts through these various characters, which make them somehow more real. Through these conversations, Cusk discusses our perceptions of ourselves and things we choose to reveal about ourselves in conversation, and how we need to read between the lines to find out who a person really is. It’s a wholly original and insightful novel, and I am excited to read more of Cusk in the future.
codexmendoza's review against another edition
4.5
For a book about a silent narrator being rambled at by strangers with stories that justtt slide right to the edge of believability, there is a masterful amount of restraint. no monologue overstays and the experiment of limning the protagonist almost entirely through the words of others is quite effective.
I also quite enjoyed Cusk’s scene setting, which were more impressions of air pressure, light and temperature. quite atmospheric, pun intended.
I also quite enjoyed Cusk’s scene setting, which were more impressions of air pressure, light and temperature. quite atmospheric, pun intended.
lqueijo's review against another edition
4.0
Com uma escrita sólida, Cusk define uma série de personagens baseadas em pequenos episódios das suas vidas. Ainda que, como romance, fique algo curto para quem espera uma história em contínuo com um fio condutor bem definido, como exercício de escrita e de definição de carácteres é brutal.
mirandaosmelak's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
It is a special book: keenly observed, beautifully written, smart. Although I do struggle to find satisfaction in it by the end, because I cannot quite tell what it was about. I feel like the main character has been at arms reach and behind a glass door all of this time. And yes, she's only an outline in my mind, which I very much suspect is the point, but... I don't think there was enough there for me to feel like I experienced a novel. I guess I want to see if I ever felt blown away by plotless novels, and I suspect that probably not. Despite sll of that, I am interested in #2 and I wanto to read more. I cannot quite tell if it's not because I hope for some sort of point at the end though.
victoriacampbell28's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
miafromorchardstreet's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.75
Loved parts of this and the writing was stunning but it was very slow.