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summerside's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
will_price's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
A bleak outlook on one woman's life wracked by her misunderstanding of herself, especially when it comes to love. Her self-doubt is relatable, and her constant questioning of her love for her husband and his for her is something so human but still so sad. I feel like it would be very easy to analyze the four women in this book- the main character, her cousin Francesca, her husband's mother, and her husband's mistress. In one way or another, all of these women are bound to men in a way to try to add some more meaning to their lives, whether it be the MC through her husband, Francesca through her many lovers, the mother through her son, or the mistress' double life. All of these women are searching for something through men, and none of them find a clear answer, if one at all. The text was a little dry for my taste and there were a lot of repeated ideas (which works as a way to communicate the MC thinking about things over and over, as one does, but also makes for a more uninteresting read). I think the structure was interesting, because the very first page tells us she shot her husband between the eyes, and then we go on a journey back to the beginning of their relationship and how it all led up to this. Ginzburg has done a lot with only 88 pages.
I thought how all of us are always trying to imagine what someone else is doing, eating our hearts out trying to find the truth and moving about in our own private worlds like a blind man who gropes for the walls and the various objects in a room.
A bleak outlook on one woman's life wracked by her misunderstanding of herself, especially when it comes to love. Her self-doubt is relatable, and her constant questioning of her love for her husband and his for her is something so human but still so sad. I feel like it would be very easy to analyze the four women in this book- the main character, her cousin Francesca, her husband's mother, and her husband's mistress. In one way or another, all of these women are bound to men in a way to try to add some more meaning to their lives, whether it be the MC through her husband, Francesca through her many lovers, the mother through her son, or the mistress' double life. All of these women are searching for something through men, and none of them find a clear answer, if one at all. The text was a little dry for my taste and there were a lot of repeated ideas (which works as a way to communicate the MC thinking about things over and over, as one does, but also makes for a more uninteresting read). I think the structure was interesting, because the very first page tells us she shot her husband between the eyes, and then we go on a journey back to the beginning of their relationship and how it all led up to this. Ginzburg has done a lot with only 88 pages.
I thought how all of us are always trying to imagine what someone else is doing, eating our hearts out trying to find the truth and moving about in our own private worlds like a blind man who gropes for the walls and the various objects in a room.
iellv's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Good! Didn’t expect to like it so much. I even added two of her other works to my library.
This one is simple and bleak. Bleak from start to finish.
I would send this to a tradwife and the “good for her” crowd to chew on. Only because I think it would be kinda funny.
This one is simple and bleak. Bleak from start to finish.
I would send this to a tradwife and the “good for her” crowd to chew on. Only because I think it would be kinda funny.
laurielee01's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I thought it was very interesting, but also quite a sad and depressing tale of this woman's life. Very simplistic prose and easy to read. I think I may have ruined the reading experience for myself as I got distracted midway through and had to put it down. One day I might revist and try to read it in one go. I feel like it will have more of an impact that way.
jklonsky's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
wellreadred's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Murder
mayphoenix7992's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It was advised to me by a Waterstones bookseller. I picked it up because it was so different from my usual reads. It was a short but poignant story, a tragedy in the making from the very first page.
kidultreader's review against another edition
3.0
depressing story on a woman's identity as a wife to a useless man and a mother to a growing daughter that lead to murder. brought heavy emotions with its simple narration despite being written in the '40s.
ivaorlic's review
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5