Reviews - Χαμένα Κορμιά

3.61k reviews for:

Χαμένα Κορμιά

Alasdair Gray

3.94 AVERAGE

tierneyspence's review against another edition

3.75

reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

constantinaph's review against another edition

2.5

lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

clorbor07's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark funny reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

_ingibjorgo_'s review against another edition

3.5

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

persephonese's review against another edition

3.5

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kate_ever's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

As some may already know I much prefer to read the book before I watch a movie or TV adaptation, and when I discovered, after seeing all the buzz about the film, that this book was written by a Scottish author, I knew I needed to read it.

I have never read an Alasdair Gray novel before but this one is very clever. It is a book within a book and I won’t lie until I realised more about what the subject matter was I could have almost believed that this story had been found and revised and that the author was just the editor.

There is something fascinating about how the author frames Bella in relation to the men that are in her life most specifically the man who ‘made’ her, God, and the man who falls in love with her, McCandless, painting her as impulsive and unruly but then completely turns that on its head. Instead showing how she is devoid of society’s expectations and is just living life for herself which the men cannot understand, then creates a further narrative that points to McCandless writing this story as he realises his insignificance to either cash in on or belittle his wife’s achievements. As I said, it is very clever.

The characters were remarkable, of course, Bella was the shining light of the story. Her joy for the world and the way she inadvertently pushed boundaries because she didn’t know what they were and her own sense of right and wrong was what made this story for me. I found the men of the story quite funny, thinking themselves superior and then being so infatuated with Bella that they each make themselves inferior to her.

I have to say there were parts during the McCandless narrative that I did maybe lose my concentration slightly, but for the most part, I was hooked. The narration was definitely a part of that, Russ Bain did a fantastic job of bringing God Baxter, McCandless, and even Bella to life, with a unique voice for every character in the story. Kathryn Drysdale was equally as amazing at portraying each of the characters during Bella’s part of the story but gave Bella her own sense of character, it made such a difference to hear it with her voice.

Poor Things is not a book that I would naturally gravitate toward, but I’m really glad I read it, it is both clever and a bit bizarre but entirely enjoyable.

zaiphon's review against another edition

3.0

challenging inspiring 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: Complicated

At first, I wasn't sure what to think. There were a few parts that immediately gave me the ick and I thought "what the heck is even going on here..this is questionable.." but then I had a ah-ha moment. Turns out, that just may be the whole point as you read "Poor Things".

Told through different POVs and written letters, this story started out by seeing a woman essentially "built" from the ground up that fits a man's specific narrative. However, we see another side to the story that leaves the reader questioning every belief they settled on when reading it from the original perspective. It makes you question politics and prejudices and perspectives that seem more self taught than absorbed through fact.

There were a few parts which I felt were muddled together and made it feel a little too slow at times. However, I am glad I gave this a chance and was able to interpret it from my perspective.