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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
There's something about this book that I can't quite put my finger on, and that's part of its charm, I think. At first, the premise of a young entomology hobbyist seemed delightfully quirky-- people who are not biologists by trade but by interest are always a bit "off," since nobody will understand their hobby as much as they do, and they aren't necessarily welcomed into the world of researchers as willingly. The man keeps to himself and is wholly determined to find a new type of sand beetle, and his excitement and dedication the sort of heart-warming thing that a reader might find very charming. I was swept up by his attention to detail and thought process when he described his search and the methodology for hunting in sand (not a typical insect habitat), and enjoyed his early mission through the sand dunes.
All of this was supplemented by the book's beautiful illustrations, which to me felt very Roald Dahl-esque: they were just black-and-white, scratchy pen drawings, but their inclusion in between the lines of text added great visual emphasis on the motifs of insects, clothing, and local villagers.
By the time the conflict begins, the tone had completely changed. At once, I abandoned the idea that "The Woman in the Dunes" was a cute story about a schoolteacher interested in hunting for bugs, and felt that it had taken a more sinister, soft science fiction turn. In fact, it reminded me of "A Brave New World," though I don't know why, since it wasn't so heavy-handed with the apocalyptic world-building. Still, the circumstances of life in the local village become almost otherworldly and unbelievable, and as the insect collector struggles to find his way out, his various plans and schemes took me in in the same way that a science fiction author's frank explanation of theory often does.
I was surprised to learn how old this book was because its mentions of science-- of sand particles, Mobius strips, and evaporation/water pooling-- seemed so very science fiction. Though, because of this, whenever it attempted to touch on more social topics like justice, economics, and sex, I was utterly uninterested and thought there was a perceptible thematic divide. Some books can marry the social science and hard science well, but I was more taken by the hard science in this instance. This is probably the main reason why I couldn't give "The Woman in the Dunes" a full five-star review.
All of this was supplemented by the book's beautiful illustrations, which to me felt very Roald Dahl-esque: they were just black-and-white, scratchy pen drawings, but their inclusion in between the lines of text added great visual emphasis on the motifs of insects, clothing, and local villagers.
By the time the conflict begins, the tone had completely changed. At once, I abandoned the idea that "The Woman in the Dunes" was a cute story about a schoolteacher interested in hunting for bugs, and felt that it had taken a more sinister, soft science fiction turn. In fact, it reminded me of "A Brave New World," though I don't know why, since it wasn't so heavy-handed with the apocalyptic world-building. Still, the circumstances of life in the local village become almost otherworldly and unbelievable, and as the insect collector struggles to find his way out, his various plans and schemes took me in in the same way that a science fiction author's frank explanation of theory often does.
I was surprised to learn how old this book was because its mentions of science-- of sand particles, Mobius strips, and evaporation/water pooling-- seemed so very science fiction. Though, because of this, whenever it attempted to touch on more social topics like justice, economics, and sex, I was utterly uninterested and thought there was a perceptible thematic divide. Some books can marry the social science and hard science well, but I was more taken by the hard science in this instance. This is probably the main reason why I couldn't give "The Woman in the Dunes" a full five-star review.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't enjoy this book at all. It's probably because I wasn't in the right frame of mind. I didn't like the characters. I didn't like the setting. I couldn't visualize the descriptions. I finished the book only because I didn't want to abandon it. I would probably give it another try sometime in the future.
i don’t think i’ve disliked a character as much as him… so annoying
Disturbing. I hate sand now. Erotic but I don’t know why. A very weird book. I liked it!
An amateur entomologist sets out to the sand dunes, obsessed with discovering a new species of insect so that it will bear his name - proof that he lived and accomplished something and left a legacy. Instead, he is captured and forced to live in a sand pit with a woman, shoveling every night to keep the sand from covering the house. The book follows his winding, increasingly unmoored existentialist meditations on what a meaningful life actually as he breaks apart under the weight of his Sisyphean task.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.75*. Great atmosphere! I felt like I was chocking on sand.
dark
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced