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mercourier's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
2.75
I wanted something more concrete from this book. I am not sure what exactedly, but the writing circled around the topic without addressing the story. It became frustrating.
erica_2208's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
katjas's review against another edition
2.0
Äntligen klar med denna tråkiga bok! Tänk att skriva en bok på typ 300 sidor om en sann historia man själv är så fascinerad över, som tagit över ens liv, och skriva en bok som gör historien rätt ointressant?
Jag ÄLSKAR folk som är obsessed av saker, men tycker inte ens bredden av Ramqvists obsession kom fram. Det var bara svammel.
Tänkte ge ett i betyg men har gett ettor tidigare till böcker som varit sämre så.
Jag ÄLSKAR folk som är obsessed av saker, men tycker inte ens bredden av Ramqvists obsession kom fram. Det var bara svammel.
Tänkte ge ett i betyg men har gett ettor tidigare till böcker som varit sämre så.
thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
This is a memoir of Swedish novelist, Karolina Ramqvist's time writing and researching the story of Marguerite de la Rocque, a French noble woman abandoned on a small island north of Nova Scotia in 1542. Translated from the original Swedish by Saskia Vogel.
The writing feels disjointed and aimless; Ramqvist frequently floats from one thought to the next, without developing on them. The glimpses into the possible life (there's not a lot of records about her life available) of Marguerite and interesting and it seems like an extraordinary story, unfortunately, we don't get to see much of it in this book.
This is a memoir of Swedish novelist, Karolina Ramqvist's time writing and researching the story of Marguerite de la Rocque, a French noble woman abandoned on a small island north of Nova Scotia in 1542. Translated from the original Swedish by Saskia Vogel.
The writing feels disjointed and aimless; Ramqvist frequently floats from one thought to the next, without developing on them. The glimpses into the possible life (there's not a lot of records about her life available) of Marguerite and interesting and it seems like an extraordinary story, unfortunately, we don't get to see much of it in this book.
flingornas_herre's review against another edition
2.0
Nej, det är inte särskilt intressant att följa Ramqvist informationssökningspraktiker.
dianahincureads's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Definitely one of the best non-fiction books I’ve read this year.
Karolina Ramqvist hears the story of Marguerite de la Rocque from a friend. She starts researching her life, trying to piece together what happened to the young woman. Marguerite’s life is shrouded in mystery. There are very few known historical facts about her. She accompanied her tutor, Jean-François de La Rocque de Roberval, on his expedition to the New World. Subsequently, she was abandoned (whilst pregnant) on The Isle of Demons in 1541. The reasons are unknown. One can only speculate why Roberval behaved like this. There are only three sources discussing the incident and two of them are works of fiction. They diverge from one another, making it impossible to know the truth of what happened. Marguerite survived against all odds. She spent two years on the island before being saved by a passing ship. Her child did not survive.
Marguerite’s grip on Karolina Ramqvist’s imagination is strong. The impossibility to KNOW for sure is frustrating. The possibilities are endless. After investing so much time researching, knowing the truth would not be enough anyway. It is as if Ramqvist wants to reach through time and space and enter Marguerite’s mind. Feel her feelings, explore the wretched island together. Marguerite is no longer just a symbol, a survivor. She’s a real woman. One that was erased from history by her powerful tutor. Her story is valuable. Through these pages, Karolina Ramqvist humanizes Marguerite. Offers her a voice.
The uniqueness of the book resides in its form. This is not just a biography of Marguerite de la Rocque. It is a memoir too. Karolina Ramqvist is writing about herself whilst researching a long-forgotten woman. Ramqvist’s life, her experience as a mother of three, and her struggles as a writer are closely intertwined with her research on Marguerite. It is a slow burn, rich in reflections. I savoured every page.
Karolina Ramqvist hears the story of Marguerite de la Rocque from a friend. She starts researching her life, trying to piece together what happened to the young woman. Marguerite’s life is shrouded in mystery. There are very few known historical facts about her. She accompanied her tutor, Jean-François de La Rocque de Roberval, on his expedition to the New World. Subsequently, she was abandoned (whilst pregnant) on The Isle of Demons in 1541. The reasons are unknown. One can only speculate why Roberval behaved like this. There are only three sources discussing the incident and two of them are works of fiction. They diverge from one another, making it impossible to know the truth of what happened. Marguerite survived against all odds. She spent two years on the island before being saved by a passing ship. Her child did not survive.
Marguerite’s grip on Karolina Ramqvist’s imagination is strong. The impossibility to KNOW for sure is frustrating. The possibilities are endless. After investing so much time researching, knowing the truth would not be enough anyway. It is as if Ramqvist wants to reach through time and space and enter Marguerite’s mind. Feel her feelings, explore the wretched island together. Marguerite is no longer just a symbol, a survivor. She’s a real woman. One that was erased from history by her powerful tutor. Her story is valuable. Through these pages, Karolina Ramqvist humanizes Marguerite. Offers her a voice.
The uniqueness of the book resides in its form. This is not just a biography of Marguerite de la Rocque. It is a memoir too. Karolina Ramqvist is writing about herself whilst researching a long-forgotten woman. Ramqvist’s life, her experience as a mother of three, and her struggles as a writer are closely intertwined with her research on Marguerite. It is a slow burn, rich in reflections. I savoured every page.