Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
reflective
sad
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
Cusk is an interesting writer with a dry, deadpan style that I find flowing, easy to read, very up to date. This novel describes her journey to some kind of literary event in an unspecified southern European city. Her ability to evoke its post-industrial landscapes and its hotel interiors is minimal but effective; with just a word or two she brings those places to life in the reader's imagination.
As in the previous two novels of this trilogy, her technique of describing how she strikes up conversation with some random person, who then embarks on a long, detailed description of their own life, is very enjoyable - indeed, poetic.
But like the second volume, this third and final volume of her trilogy ends with unpleasantness: in this case very long discussions about feminism, the inadequacies of men, the bitternesses of failed relationships, and the minutiae of divorce. This is a painful read that goes on for a long time and leaves a nasty aftertaste; which is a shame, because Cusk is a writer of great abilities and her dry, unembellished matter-of-fact prose is valuable at a time when so many talentless millennial scribblers are being hyped as "Important Authors"-
As in the previous two novels of this trilogy, her technique of describing how she strikes up conversation with some random person, who then embarks on a long, detailed description of their own life, is very enjoyable - indeed, poetic.
But like the second volume, this third and final volume of her trilogy ends with unpleasantness: in this case very long discussions about feminism, the inadequacies of men, the bitternesses of failed relationships, and the minutiae of divorce. This is a painful read that goes on for a long time and leaves a nasty aftertaste; which is a shame, because Cusk is a writer of great abilities and her dry, unembellished matter-of-fact prose is valuable at a time when so many talentless millennial scribblers are being hyped as "Important Authors"-
This was my favourite of the three, but mayby it just needed 3 volumes to grow on me.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i think outline is the standout of the trilogy for me, but i do get thematically and stylistically why this is the way it is.
one of the biggest questions in the books is what is freedom, what does it mean to be free, can one person ever be free? i don’t think it’s ever fully answered—i don’t think it’s a question that can be answered—but reading so many characters thoughts and reflections was really quite interesting.
stunning piece of work, really. when i read these books again in like 10 years time i wonder what i’ll take away from it. love the discussions on change of the self and of society, personal responsibility and marriage.
one of the biggest questions in the books is what is freedom, what does it mean to be free, can one person ever be free? i don’t think it’s ever fully answered—i don’t think it’s a question that can be answered—but reading so many characters thoughts and reflections was really quite interesting.
stunning piece of work, really. when i read these books again in like 10 years time i wonder what i’ll take away from it. love the discussions on change of the self and of society, personal responsibility and marriage.
reflective
reflective
slow-paced