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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
This debut novel is enormously moving in an oddly elliptical fashion. A (somewhat) elderly woman takes her life into her hands. There are gorgeous passages here, the results of a vision seemingly deeply estranged from the mundane world of human interaction but desperate for simple recognition. Here's the opening line: it may be 'spoiler' enough; reading it after finishing the book is devastating for both its truth and its cherished self-illusion:
If you like your existentialism leavened by humour and a clear-eyed regard for quiet humanity, this is for you.
I like it when I can be done with something. Like a knitted earwarmer, like winter, spring, summer, fall. Even like Epsilon's career. I like to get things over with. But impatience has consequences.
If you like your existentialism leavened by humour and a clear-eyed regard for quiet humanity, this is for you.
I enjoyed this book because even though the main character is an old lady, some of her struggles felt relatable to me. This little book revolves around Mathea, a very lonely elderly woman who strugles with an internal conflict: she desperately wants connection with others but is too afraid to initiate it. Mathea avoids real-life interactions, spending most of her time in solitude , at home knitting, watching TV, and reading obituaries. She fears people, yet also fears dying unnoticed, without leaving a mark. She craves even the smallest interaction, wearing a watch just in case someone asks for the time or stocking up on sugar in case a neighbor asks to borrow some. She longs to join community gatherings, bringing rolls and jam, but is paralyzed by the fear of judgment and uncertainty about how to act.
While I appreciated the book, I would have given it a higher rating if not for the writing style of and lack of a plot. Sometimes, it was hard to know when I was reading the present events and when it's Mathea's memories. I found the first half of the book more engaging than the second, as it became somewhat repetitive, and not much was happening. However, the very last pages broke my heart.
Nevertheless, I still recommend this book and “meeting” Mathea, who is an odd and quirky character. The book is quite short, and even though it explores topics like old age and loneliness, it has funny moments.
While I appreciated the book, I would have given it a higher rating if not for the writing style of and lack of a plot. Sometimes, it was hard to know when I was reading the present events and when it's Mathea's memories. I found the first half of the book more engaging than the second, as it became somewhat repetitive, and not much was happening. However, the very last pages broke my heart.
Nevertheless, I still recommend this book and “meeting” Mathea, who is an odd and quirky character. The book is quite short, and even though it explores topics like old age and loneliness, it has funny moments.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely loved this book. It's a slow paced one about aging and nearing death, about love and loneliness. It sounds depressing but what I loved about it is that in the end it wasn't at all what you'd expect of such a book. I found myself both nearing tears and laughing out loud, the main character was whimsical and fun and excentric at times, and sad, insightful and lovely at others. The small and normal things of life took such a grand meaning when described throughout the character's point of view, which made the book a real page turner even though there's nearly no action to it. It is grand and ridiculous at the same time, and tells us so much about the small things in life. A definite 5 stars for me, for a perfectly balanced and interesting book !!!!!
dark
reflective
sad
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
A ninety-year-old main character that has the inner monologue of an antisocial teenager and is so obviously written by someone much younger, which throws off the entire narration. And makes it annoying and difficult to get through.