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flordelmal's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Me un poco de pena no haber disfrutado tanto como esperaba de esta lectura, porque tenía bastantes ganas de leer este libro y los temas que trata me parecen súper interesantes, pero creo que en general las ideas no están del todo bien llevadas.
"La cresta de Ilión" explora temas como la memoria, el olvido en relación con la vida y la muerte desde una clara perspectiva de género y, a lo largo de la trama, vemos estos temas reflejados en numerosas metáforas, símbolos, símiles, etc. El problema que tengo con el desarrollo de estas ideas es que en muchas ocasiones se presentan al lector de manera *demasiado* vaga y difusa y se pierde el punto que está intentando demostrar la autora entre tanta complejidad estilística (en mi opinión un poco innecesaria).
Sin embargo, también hay momentos en los que se puede atisbar algo de claridad y entender de qué te está hablando la autora, y creo que por esos momentos merece la pena leer esta novela.
Me un poco de pena no haber disfrutado tanto como esperaba de esta lectura, porque tenía bastantes ganas de leer este libro y los temas que trata me parecen súper interesantes, pero creo que en general las ideas no están del todo bien llevadas.
"La cresta de Ilión" explora temas como la memoria, el olvido en relación con la vida y la muerte desde una clara perspectiva de género y, a lo largo de la trama, vemos estos temas reflejados en numerosas metáforas, símbolos, símiles, etc. El problema que tengo con el desarrollo de estas ideas es que en muchas ocasiones se presentan al lector de manera *demasiado* vaga y difusa y se pierde el punto que está intentando demostrar la autora entre tanta complejidad estilística (en mi opinión un poco innecesaria).
Sin embargo, también hay momentos en los que se puede atisbar algo de claridad y entender de qué te está hablando la autora, y creo que por esos momentos merece la pena leer esta novela.
alanaaaa's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
em_harring's review against another edition
3.0
This is a weird little story that requires a bit more brain power than I currently provided it. Definitely one I want to reread, especially now that I know that the writer being discussed in the story is the author of The Houseguest, because I definitely didn't put that together.
Atmospheric and strange, the novella blurs borders (between cities, gender, self, etc), ultimately feeling a bit like a fever dream.
Atmospheric and strange, the novella blurs borders (between cities, gender, self, etc), ultimately feeling a bit like a fever dream.
smzhou's review
2.0
uhhh... i'm not smart enough to understand this book.... this felt like a fever dream
but also apparently amparo davila is an actual mexican author
but also apparently amparo davila is an actual mexican author
olicooper's review against another edition
4.0
I give this four stars without really understanding what it is I just read... but I enjoyed it immensely.
It feels like it fits snugly into the Gothic horror genre-- elements of fear, romance, nature, gloom permeate the novel.
This first-person narrative comes from an unreliable narrator, so that by the end of the novel, it feels as if most of the novel is in question.
I think the mix of emotions you feel along the way is quite exciting and the confusion that develops is delightful.
It feels like it fits snugly into the Gothic horror genre-- elements of fear, romance, nature, gloom permeate the novel.
This first-person narrative comes from an unreliable narrator, so that by the end of the novel, it feels as if most of the novel is in question.
I think the mix of emotions you feel along the way is quite exciting and the confusion that develops is delightful.
deliapiccinini's review against another edition
2.0
boh, forse non sono abbastanza intelligente per capire questo libro
foulone's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
booksnpunks's review against another edition
3.0
This novel really needs to be read in its original Spanish and that is no insult to Sarah Booker as I think she is one of the most talented and unflinching translators around at the moment. The Iliac Crest is a surrealist novel that is always moving across borders - between the real and fantasy, masculine and feminine, land and see. The Spanish language uses textual clues to help you navigate this hellishly claustrophobic novel as you become trapped in what feels like a fever dream. Reading it in English felt confusing and as though it’s initial impact was a little lost.
An unnamed narrator is living in isolation and is working for some sort of medical institution. They are visited first by an ex lover who is sick, and then by a stranger who calls herself Amparo Dávila and takes it on herself to look after the ex lover and push the narrator out of the picture.
The book gets increasingly more surreal and makes you question the evolution of gender and gender roles over time. What is it that defines the feeling of being feminine? The imagery in the novel is really strong especially the imagery centring on the middle of the cisgender women’s body like the uterus and pelvic region. It critiques the way that gender is controlled by those in power and how the language of gender has been used to suit those in power.
I don’t think I can say I fully enjoyed this book as I couldn’t follow what was happening for the majority of it, but I know that there is a lot being said in its language and imagery. Sarah Booker is a really ambitious translator and her translation of this novel has succeeded in making it as strange and complex as the Spanish original, but I also think it has become slightly impenetrable and a lot of the language clues which help guide the reader are missing.
An unnamed narrator is living in isolation and is working for some sort of medical institution. They are visited first by an ex lover who is sick, and then by a stranger who calls herself Amparo Dávila and takes it on herself to look after the ex lover and push the narrator out of the picture.
The book gets increasingly more surreal and makes you question the evolution of gender and gender roles over time. What is it that defines the feeling of being feminine? The imagery in the novel is really strong especially the imagery centring on the middle of the cisgender women’s body like the uterus and pelvic region. It critiques the way that gender is controlled by those in power and how the language of gender has been used to suit those in power.
I don’t think I can say I fully enjoyed this book as I couldn’t follow what was happening for the majority of it, but I know that there is a lot being said in its language and imagery. Sarah Booker is a really ambitious translator and her translation of this novel has succeeded in making it as strange and complex as the Spanish original, but I also think it has become slightly impenetrable and a lot of the language clues which help guide the reader are missing.
grisbell_martz's review against another edition
4.0
Una lectura desafiante, bizarra y enigmática. Sin duda el factor que más llamó mi atención fue el homenaje que la autora hace a Amparo Dávila, una de mis autoras favoritas.
salted__salt's review
5.0
A brilliant dive into gender, borders, bodies, language and nightmares. I haven't been so captivated by a text in a very long time.