802 reviews for:

An Apprenticeship, or the Book of Pleasures

Clarice Lispector

4.23 AVERAGE

mapauc3's review

5.0

emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

fanopeias's review against another edition

5.0

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uma das coisas mais lindas que já li.

rachykelly's review

2.75

emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

dorothylune's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous emotional reflective fast-paced

jwitherspoon720's review

4.0

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I want to give this 4.5 stars but I can’t so 4 it is

tonika's review

5.0

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This was a deeply intimate novel. There are definitely some problematic elements, likely due to it being a product of its time (the 70s), but beyond that it’s a beautiful contemplative meditation on existentialism. It’s about learning to fall in love with yourself, the world around you and the ‘simple’ act of existing.

Lispector’s stream-of-consciousness style won’t be for everyone, but for me, this was a really special book. 

Ulisses is icky though. But I ignored the romance in order to enjoy it for what it is. 

kegifford's review

5.0

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This beautifully written book describes a process of spiritual growth through a loving relationship with another person. Like Sheila Heti, who wrote the afterward, I was taken aback by the quality of that relationship, and in particular the male character, who seemed to me arrogant and condescending. But Lispector lets us experience the idea that even deeply imperfect people (even us) can experience transcendence through self-examination and connection. 

inspo4cloud's review

4.0

reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bex0's review

3.75

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

morgannemariah's review

5.0

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The antidote to My Year of Rest and Relaxation.