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lucazani11's review against another edition
3.0
Really well written, just quite difficult to get into
karinlib's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars really. This is the sixth book I have read by Kadare, an Albanian author. I still think [b:Chronicle in Stone|708124|Chronicle in Stone|Ismail Kadare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348826631l/708124._SY75_.jpg|919276] is his best book, but I definitely like his writing style.
The Doll is the name the Kadares gave their mother because she appeared to be so fragile, and with an arrested development at 17 when she married Kadare's father.
The Doll is the name the Kadares gave their mother because she appeared to be so fragile, and with an arrested development at 17 when she married Kadare's father.
hollyrebecca's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
2.75
I don’t generally score memoirs as anything less than a 4, but this book was quite challenging for me to connect to.
The story masterfully weaves together Kadare’s own history with many different topics and challenges during recent Albanian history, through the Nazi occupation in WWII, the Albanian-Soviet split and the fall of the communist party to modern day Albania.
Whilst I can acknowledge and appreciate the masterful writing style of Kadare, I can’t ignore the struggle I had reading this. The book reads like a personal diary and some of the passages are rather disjointed from the surrounding context, relying on connections that aren’t immediately obvious to the reader. I was left confused on a regular basis as I made my way through the book.
Kadare explores the story of his mother and her input within his life, but refers to his mother as “The Doll” throughout this memoir due to her child-like behaviour and mentality. I was expecting to hear about a meek woman and instead saw glimpses of a woman using infantilism as a weapon to subtly manipulate those around her.
Overall, this was a confusing read and I’d recommend sticking to Kadare’s fiction works instead.
The story masterfully weaves together Kadare’s own history with many different topics and challenges during recent Albanian history, through the Nazi occupation in WWII, the Albanian-Soviet split and the fall of the communist party to modern day Albania.
Whilst I can acknowledge and appreciate the masterful writing style of Kadare, I can’t ignore the struggle I had reading this. The book reads like a personal diary and some of the passages are rather disjointed from the surrounding context, relying on connections that aren’t immediately obvious to the reader. I was left confused on a regular basis as I made my way through the book.
Kadare explores the story of his mother and her input within his life, but refers to his mother as “The Doll” throughout this memoir due to her child-like behaviour and mentality. I was expecting to hear about a meek woman and instead saw glimpses of a woman using infantilism as a weapon to subtly manipulate those around her.
Overall, this was a confusing read and I’d recommend sticking to Kadare’s fiction works instead.
scarletohhara's review against another edition
3.0
Well written and all, but I felt it was a snippet from just yet another memoir - except for a few facts about Albanian culture - how women after a certain age announce they won’t leave the house, the family system feels familiar to the Indian way, the govt declaring Kadare as an enemy when he left for Paris - I didn’t learn much.
annetjeberg's review against another edition
3.0
This is an interesting, and rather odd little book. Is he talking about his mom? His home country of Albania? Why is the mother just known as The Doll? And what am I missing here?
The whole book, I had the feeling that I was left out somehow. That I wasn't getting things. But still something pulled me in...
I really don't know if I can recommend this book, but I have to say: I am intrigued. I shall read more by this author!
The whole book, I had the feeling that I was left out somehow. That I wasn't getting things. But still something pulled me in...
I really don't know if I can recommend this book, but I have to say: I am intrigued. I shall read more by this author!
idiotela123's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.75
It didn't seem like an autobiography at all. It is written in a very unique storytelling style that I haven't before experienced in an autobiography. The book is centred around Kadare's mother, rather than himself which provides a very interesting perspective. Not a Freudian perspective, but rather illustrative of the continuation of generational cycles that naturally happen throughout life.