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book_spiral's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
a_violentfemme's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A very intriguing book with lots of potential. I picked it up after being drawn in by the cover when I was desperate for something to read on the train and after finishing it I can't help but wonder if the blurb is not doing it justice.
At the start of the book, Margit is a struggling art writer and her London haunts (also familiar to me) and academic friend group struck a cord with me. Some of the most interesting parts are simple conversations and interactions that occur throughout. I was left a bit cold by the main plot, and felt the author could have pushed Margit's "obsession" much further.
Despite being a short book, towards the middle I did find my attention drifting off and had to re-read a few passages.
For People that like "no plot all vibes"
At the start of the book, Margit is a struggling art writer and her London haunts (also familiar to me) and academic friend group struck a cord with me. Some of the most interesting parts are simple conversations and interactions that occur throughout. I was left a bit cold by the main plot, and felt the author could have pushed Margit's "obsession" much further.
Despite being a short book, towards the middle I did find my attention drifting off and had to re-read a few passages.
For People that like "no plot all vibes"
indy_oc's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
lizwizwiz's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
whamydid's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
girlglitch's review
4.0
When you pick up a book titled History Keeps Me Awake At Night, you know right from the outset that this is going to be some unapologetically literary fiction.
The story riffs off art criticism (particularly Berger's Ways of Seeing), playing with the idea of perspective. It's a bold debut, unafraid of dense symbolism, stark metaphors and the odd bit of deliberately aimless posturing. Sometimes it could have benefitted from a bit more narrative grounding. The characters are a little too transparent (more figurative than fully-realised human beings), and several of the scenes lack subtlety. It needs just a little bit more real to balance out the cerebral.
Caustic and complex, History Keeps Me Awake At Night is an ambitious literary debut that's almost too smart for its own good.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
The story riffs off art criticism (particularly Berger's Ways of Seeing), playing with the idea of perspective. It's a bold debut, unafraid of dense symbolism, stark metaphors and the odd bit of deliberately aimless posturing. Sometimes it could have benefitted from a bit more narrative grounding. The characters are a little too transparent (more figurative than fully-realised human beings), and several of the scenes lack subtlety. It needs just a little bit more real to balance out the cerebral.
Caustic and complex, History Keeps Me Awake At Night is an ambitious literary debut that's almost too smart for its own good.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
abbie_bryant's review
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I'm all for no plot, just vibes, but this one didn't really have enough of either to make it work.
The characters felt very one-dimensional, more charactetures than anything. Reading about someone's obsession really only works if you can get the reader obsessed with the same obsession, or with the obsession. This one fell flat for me.
The characters felt very one-dimensional, more charactetures than anything. Reading about someone's obsession really only works if you can get the reader obsessed with the same obsession, or with the obsession. This one fell flat for me.
jennyedwall's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
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