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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
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
Esta mujer sabe contarte vidas enteras en un cuento. Historias fuertes que te dejan reflexionando de la vida, del amor, de la familia. Me gustó, pero no se me hizo lectura ligera.
This story was brought to my attention from a very good friend of mine. We first watched the movie together and then it evolved into choosing to read the novella it was created from.
Boy, this book/movie is an absolutely wild story to say the least lol. I recommend watching the movie first before the book because it’s only 60 pages and goes very fast. I feel like if I didn’t watch the movie first, I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the book.
Also, the movie adaptation is really freaking spot on from this novella lol. I was impressed by that.
Read this if you want to hear about how two lady friends get with each other’s sons.
Boy, this book/movie is an absolutely wild story to say the least lol. I recommend watching the movie first before the book because it’s only 60 pages and goes very fast. I feel like if I didn’t watch the movie first, I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the book.
Also, the movie adaptation is really freaking spot on from this novella lol. I was impressed by that.
Read this if you want to hear about how two lady friends get with each other’s sons.
The third story, about the slow decay of a city state, was the most interesting. Though I couldn't get into the last story, the first three made me think I should pick up more books written by women in their 80s.
Have only read the first story, may read more later.
my first doris lessing. after watching 'Adore' on screen and learning it was based on a Lessing short story/novella, i just had to read it! the plot of the story is just about the same as the novel, but - in print - the story is one moment, framed by the envy of a waitress that has seen this family come and go and has always wished to be a part of them. a great point of view as the scene deteriorates when the newly-learned truth is shared with both the other wife, and the grandmothers. a fine pivot point that lets the whole of the story be told without immediate judgement and distain because, afterall, it is already done and the punishment delivered.
the book also contains 3 other stories and i really enjoyed the sci-fi type one as well as the one titled: Victoria and the Staveneys. the author moves the point of view from one character to another and keeps it there - changing the point of the story and keeping you off balance. Lessing write a long, rich description of the sea journey during the war in 'A Love Child' but other parts of the story were sterile in comparison.
the book also contains 3 other stories and i really enjoyed the sci-fi type one as well as the one titled: Victoria and the Staveneys. the author moves the point of view from one character to another and keeps it there - changing the point of the story and keeping you off balance. Lessing write a long, rich description of the sea journey during the war in 'A Love Child' but other parts of the story were sterile in comparison.
Should probably admit that I didn't read all of the novellas, just 'The Grandmothers" which was published separately as "Adore" (to tie in with the movie). An interesting and somewhat controversial topic that is presented in a rather matter of fact, so what?, shrug of the shoulders manner by Lessing that by the end I wasn't sure where I stood. The writing is very fine however, of that I'm very sure. Others could stretch this out into a very long novel but 70 pages was absolutely perfect.
The Grandmothers, editado em Portugal como As Avós dá o título a um conjunto de quatro estórias (short novels) de Doris Lessing.
Das quatro estórias, curiosamente as que mais gostei foram as menos louvadas pela critica: The Grandmothers e A Love Child.
Victoria and the Staveneys aborda as relacoes interraciais e diferenças de classe na Inglaterra. The Reason Why é um conto distópico futurista que me disse muito pouco ou não percebi muito.
A Love Child é sobre James, um soldado do império britanico que a caminho da India se apaixona pela mulher de um oficial do exército. De breves dias de paixão concebem um filho, que James, apesar de nunca o ter conhecido, o sente bem presente na sua vida. Adorei a sua realização final: „You see, I am not living my own life. It’s not my real life. I shouldn’t be living the way I do“.
Cheguei a este livro através de Adore, a adaptação cinematográfica de The Grandmothers, com Naomi Watts e Robin Wright. Achei o filme ousado e provocador, pelo que não demorei a procurar ler o livro. O livro não desapontou. Pelo contrário, até o achei mais bonito e pertubardor. Lessing, que escreveu esta estória com 85 anos (!), abre-nos uma janela para a vida de duas melhores amigas ao longo de trinta anos. Lil e Roz crescem vizinhas, e são o complemento uma da outra intelectualmente e até fisicamente. Estudam, casam, têm filhos. Uma enviuva, a outra divorcia-se. Os filhos crescem. Residem numa pequena localidade idílica costeira. Mães e filhos adolescentes passam os verões juntos. Até que se apaixonam pelo filho uma da outra. Que consequências terão estas relações proibidas e algo incestuosas? Na amizade uma da outra? Na vida dos seus filhos? Roz e Lil são mulheres maduras, inteligentes, bonitas. Ian e Tom homens belos e jovens. „Such an intense happiness must have its punishment“.
Adorei a escrita simples e elegante. Certamente não será o ultimo livro que leio de Doris Lessing.
Das quatro estórias, curiosamente as que mais gostei foram as menos louvadas pela critica: The Grandmothers e A Love Child.
Victoria and the Staveneys aborda as relacoes interraciais e diferenças de classe na Inglaterra. The Reason Why é um conto distópico futurista que me disse muito pouco ou não percebi muito.
A Love Child é sobre James, um soldado do império britanico que a caminho da India se apaixona pela mulher de um oficial do exército. De breves dias de paixão concebem um filho, que James, apesar de nunca o ter conhecido, o sente bem presente na sua vida. Adorei a sua realização final: „You see, I am not living my own life. It’s not my real life. I shouldn’t be living the way I do“.
Cheguei a este livro através de Adore, a adaptação cinematográfica de The Grandmothers, com Naomi Watts e Robin Wright. Achei o filme ousado e provocador, pelo que não demorei a procurar ler o livro. O livro não desapontou. Pelo contrário, até o achei mais bonito e pertubardor. Lessing, que escreveu esta estória com 85 anos (!), abre-nos uma janela para a vida de duas melhores amigas ao longo de trinta anos. Lil e Roz crescem vizinhas, e são o complemento uma da outra intelectualmente e até fisicamente. Estudam, casam, têm filhos. Uma enviuva, a outra divorcia-se. Os filhos crescem. Residem numa pequena localidade idílica costeira. Mães e filhos adolescentes passam os verões juntos. Até que se apaixonam pelo filho uma da outra. Que consequências terão estas relações proibidas e algo incestuosas? Na amizade uma da outra? Na vida dos seus filhos? Roz e Lil são mulheres maduras, inteligentes, bonitas. Ian e Tom homens belos e jovens. „Such an intense happiness must have its punishment“.
Adorei a escrita simples e elegante. Certamente não será o ultimo livro que leio de Doris Lessing.
It's amazing how Lessing expresses in every story her perception of the passing of time. Each of her characters experiences the passing of time in a very different haunting way, they all live a bit in the past holding close a bunch of memories although the present is also demanding them to be there. When the characters meet again with the persons animating their memories after a long period of not seeing them, the gap between how they are remembered and how they really are at present is described in a very powerful way (in the second and the last story).
There's nothing not to like about this book. Each of the four stories has a strength of its own and it has a power over the reader for days and days.
There's nothing not to like about this book. Each of the four stories has a strength of its own and it has a power over the reader for days and days.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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:
Yes