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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
this book has a special place in my heart. the themes. the writing. the complex characters. there are many layers that include:
- mother-daughter relationship (manipulative-ill mother and fatherless daughter)
- generational trauma
- family dynamics
- the struggle of being a caregiver
- queer representation
- quarter life crisis
- age gap relationship
- toxic relationship
- unusual treatment
- reality vs imagination
ps. as usual, the book is better than the film (it still gorgeous and worth watching)
tbh i just wanted this book to be over i did not enjoy being in this woman’s head. which like probs was the point but i was just so on edge the whole time it made me nauseous.
I found this book quite confusing. It’s beautifully written but I struggled to keep up with the story, which I found confusing. The author seems to hint at a lot of things but not confirm them, so i did enjoy it but it left me feeling dissatisfied. I feel there was a lot I missed, would be a good book club book, as would be interesting to discuss!
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Unlike popular opinion, I loved the film that just came out. I thought it was subtle, blurry, full of feeling and yet distance. The book too is distant, but not between the characters, from the reader. The prose is repetitive and self obsessed, every line about declaring herself a monster and about medusas, the on the nose repetition of being Beloved, the claims of being bolder leading essentially to nothing all made me actually cringe. Every paragraph ends as though a life changing statement has been made, taking itself so seriously, but really it is all terribly contrived and generic. The most interesting parts lie in her being an anthropologist, the notion of signs brought up sometimes but never enough to really be a concrete theme.
I was surprised to see how many changes the film made, like it being her father finding the inscription to say Beheaded rather than Beloved, or especially the ending being left unknown after the revelation about Rose's past that wasn't in the original novel. But it made so much more sense, as it tethered the relationships between Sofia and her mother and that with Ingrid through their similar pasts yet different ways of manifesting their grief and guilt. In the novel, Rose's behaviour is inexplicable, making the whole novel feel quite pointless, just as her relationship with Ingrid seeming to leave no real impression on her or the reader. None of it did because it was so incredibly surface level and it's a shame, because clearly it has enough substance to become something more nuanced in a different form.
I was surprised to see how many changes the film made, like it being her father finding the inscription to say Beheaded rather than Beloved, or especially the ending being left unknown after the revelation about Rose's past that wasn't in the original novel. But it made so much more sense, as it tethered the relationships between Sofia and her mother and that with Ingrid through their similar pasts yet different ways of manifesting their grief and guilt. In the novel, Rose's behaviour is inexplicable, making the whole novel feel quite pointless, just as her relationship with Ingrid seeming to leave no real impression on her or the reader. None of it did because it was so incredibly surface level and it's a shame, because clearly it has enough substance to become something more nuanced in a different form.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Unlikeable characters, slightly bizarre and confusing story. Very much enjoyed it, exactly the vibe I wanted for a holiday read.