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catherineofalx's review against another edition
5.0
Tragic without being punishing. Just stunningly, stunningly beautiful.
nycscribe102's review against another edition
5.0
Read my review of this book at http://sofia-perez.com/?p=2889
hdellabella's review against another edition
5.0
The love, the grief, and the longing in this book are all visceral. There isn't quite a resolution, but this book isn't really about catharsis; it's about trying to live again after a shattering personal tragedy. Aura is breathed back into life in this book.
francescamoroney's review against another edition
4.0
I adored this book. I loved the Spanish, the Spanglish, the tidbits of Mexican life and culture. His writing, though far from perfect, struck me as so completely honest. It's circuitous and winding because it mirrors his grief.
megbsmit's review
5.0
I thought this was a very beautiful and poignant tribute from Francisco Goldman to his late wife. I thought it was reminiscent of Joan Didion's "A Year of Magical Thinking". My heart just hurts for Goldman and the loss of the love of his wife. Definitely work reading!
anneaustex's review
3.0
The book cover says Say Her Name is "a soaring paean to a brilliant young woman", "passionate and moving", "incandescent", a "beautiful evocation of love and loss". I completely agree that it is a tribute to a very special love lost but I did not particularly enjoy reading this book. Maybe it takes a certain kind of person that I am not. One reviewer here said he especially enjoys "dead spouse books" but I can honestly say I've not yet read one that I enjoyed so take my review with that in mind.
I thought the writing was solid. I wondered at many passages how he had such concrete memories of events, places, and conversations. It felt real and yet it is a novel. There were some really beautiful passages and sections that were very gripping in their honest emotion.
Overall, for me, it was like sitting for hours while someone tells stories of a person you've never met. Perhaps if I knew one or the other of these people the book would have been easier for me to love.
I thought the writing was solid. I wondered at many passages how he had such concrete memories of events, places, and conversations. It felt real and yet it is a novel. There were some really beautiful passages and sections that were very gripping in their honest emotion.
Overall, for me, it was like sitting for hours while someone tells stories of a person you've never met. Perhaps if I knew one or the other of these people the book would have been easier for me to love.
mycouscous's review
3.0
I got an ARC of this from the publisher and slowly made my way through it. There are parts of this book that warrant four stars, but I've settled on a three-star rating for my overall reaction. Goldman's book is a fictionalization of the tragic death of his young wife, Aura and how he coped. It succeeds as a touching homage to Aura, devastating in its subject and beauty, yet it is filled with his "ninote" behavior, which can be off-putting. As someone who appreciates and craves emotionally engaging books, I didn't cry at any point during this book. That's not a dismissal of its moments of power, but I think it says something about the overall tone and narrative style. I don't know who I'd suggest this to.
destak's review
1.0
Good gosh. I didn't think this one would ever end. There is another review on the site by Josh(?) which pretty much echoes my thoughts. Basically by trying to make Aura seem cute, quirky, endearing, Goldman manages to make her almost unbearable. She comes across as spoiled, selfish, irresponsible and quite frankly, just plain unlikeable. Though in all honesty, having been brought up by her petulant mother, Juanita, really didn't give her much of a chance. I felt the book only really hit its stride at the end when Goldman finally divulges the story of their last fateful trip together--that portion almost convinced me to give the book 3 stars. But in the end, even the strongest part of the narrative could raise the worst of it.
I'm somewhat interested in reading some of Goldman's non-fiction works. Perhaps when the sour taste of this one has faded somewhat, I will search them out.
I'm somewhat interested in reading some of Goldman's non-fiction works. Perhaps when the sour taste of this one has faded somewhat, I will search them out.
cookingwithelsa's review against another edition
3.0
This rambling novel (which fits with the experience of grief) has the most bizarre, disconnected ending -- at least to this reader. It ruined it for me. I admit.
It was a slow read as grief is slow.
What I find most interesting is that he doesn't tell us how his wife died until the very end. For most it's the very place you start.
It was a slow read as grief is slow.
What I find most interesting is that he doesn't tell us how his wife died until the very end. For most it's the very place you start.