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sssnoo's review
2.0
I can give this author the benefit of the doubt and say the translation was the issue. Or that the literary value was way beyond my appreciation level. But I did not enjoy this read. I finished it t because it is for a Book club I love but I had to force myself to read 50-60 pp/day like it was a dreaded school assignment. To me it was like a shitty first draft that needed serious support during and revision so the reader could follow what was going on.
In truth, there was some interest in exploring the political left that demonstrated the most opposition to the rising fascist governments in 1930’s Europe. Ironic that those groups, largely communist, were the groups vilified post war. So that was interesting. And occasionally there was a paragraph I could follow easily and more rarely a page or two, but mostly I struggled just to connect the dots of the narrative. Reading should not be this hard.
My book club meets tomorrow and perhaps I will be enlightened by others as to why I should appreciate this book more. I kind of doubt it though.
In truth, there was some interest in exploring the political left that demonstrated the most opposition to the rising fascist governments in 1930’s Europe. Ironic that those groups, largely communist, were the groups vilified post war. So that was interesting. And occasionally there was a paragraph I could follow easily and more rarely a page or two, but mostly I struggled just to connect the dots of the narrative. Reading should not be this hard.
My book club meets tomorrow and perhaps I will be enlightened by others as to why I should appreciate this book more. I kind of doubt it though.
giunic's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
agnesealstrian's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
engi_bi's review against another edition
3.0
Credo che il mio problema nei confronti di questo libro sia averlo ascoltato e non averlo letto: è una narrazione polifonica, ricca di dettagli e complessa, che mal di adatta al medium dell’audiolibro.
Mi riprometto di rileggerlo, in un futuro più o meno lontano, perché sento che potrebbe piacermi molto di più di così (soprattutto ora che ho una visione d’insieme dei fatti e dei personaggi) e perché le figure di cui racconta la storia sono a dieta poco interessanti.
Mi riprometto di rileggerlo, in un futuro più o meno lontano, perché sento che potrebbe piacermi molto di più di così (soprattutto ora che ho una visione d’insieme dei fatti e dei personaggi) e perché le figure di cui racconta la storia sono a dieta poco interessanti.
thewellreadfeminist's review against another edition
2.0
Happy to be finally done with this book (and this seems to be a shared feeling around here...). I picked it up because I was curious to learn more about Gerda Taro. I think she had a really fascinating (albeit short) life and her work as a photoreporter during the Spanish civil war deserves to be more widely acknowledged. But I really struggled with The Girl with the Leica for two main reasons.
First, although the book is supposed to be about her, we only get glimpses of Gerda's life. She is portrayed through the memories of three of her friends or lovers, Willy Chardack, Ruth Cerf and Georg Kuritzkes. So even the absence of Gerda, The Girl with the Leica could still have been an interesting novel if these characters had been engaging. But sadly none of them has any depth.
Second, I had a hard time following the narrative. It jumps back and forth between different times, places and people. And to complicate the matter the author often uses different names for one person (for example Capa would be Capa or Robert or Bob or André or Bandi...). I often had to read a sentence or a paragraph several times to understand who or what it was about... I even wondered if there was a problem with my copy of the book or maybe with the translation...
I don't like to be so harsh on a book but I was disappointed. To console myself I found this podcast (in French : https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/autant-en-emporte-l-histoire/autant-en-emporte-l-histoire-01-janvier-2017) that was way more interesting.
First, although the book is supposed to be about her, we only get glimpses of Gerda's life. She is portrayed through the memories of three of her friends or lovers, Willy Chardack, Ruth Cerf and Georg Kuritzkes. So even the absence of Gerda, The Girl with the Leica could still have been an interesting novel if these characters had been engaging. But sadly none of them has any depth.
Second, I had a hard time following the narrative. It jumps back and forth between different times, places and people. And to complicate the matter the author often uses different names for one person (for example Capa would be Capa or Robert or Bob or André or Bandi...). I often had to read a sentence or a paragraph several times to understand who or what it was about... I even wondered if there was a problem with my copy of the book or maybe with the translation...
I don't like to be so harsh on a book but I was disappointed. To console myself I found this podcast (in French : https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/autant-en-emporte-l-histoire/autant-en-emporte-l-histoire-01-janvier-2017) that was way more interesting.
gaiazaini's review against another edition
4.0
Sicuramente non il romanzo più scorrevole che abbia mai letto, ma altrettanto certamente un intreccio geniale, una storia straordinaria, anzi: la Storia.
“La fame era una cattiva consigliera, e la disperazione anche peggiore. La fame e la disperazione lavoravano per i fascisti e i loro sostenitori neanche più tanto occulti. Le signore dell’alta società già gareggiavano a chi riusciva a rimpinzare Hitler, alla faccia degli operai mandati sul lastrico dai loro consorti.”
“La fame era una cattiva consigliera, e la disperazione anche peggiore. La fame e la disperazione lavoravano per i fascisti e i loro sostenitori neanche più tanto occulti. Le signore dell’alta società già gareggiavano a chi riusciva a rimpinzare Hitler, alla faccia degli operai mandati sul lastrico dai loro consorti.”
cristina_ragazzi's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
mirivii's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I got this book gifted on my birthday by a friend. He said he chose this as it's both about a strong woman and photography, so it would resonate with me.
Little did he know, that those two things would have been the last thing that I would find captivating about this book. Helena Janeczek's writing style is absolutely fascinating. Both her descriptions and her dialogues are so engaging, you can’t help but feel connected to the characters and the story.
I was weeping for Gerda and her lovers, her friends, her could-have-been, her lost talent. I was weeping for Gerda because I started loving Gerda so much that I could not comprehend why I would not have the chance to meet her.
This story is not about love nor talent, it's about ideals and haveing the courage to stand up for what you believe in. And eventually, having to pay the prize for such courage. Because it's cosmic karma.
Little did he know, that those two things would have been the last thing that I would find captivating about this book. Helena Janeczek's writing style is absolutely fascinating. Both her descriptions and her dialogues are so engaging, you can’t help but feel connected to the characters and the story.
I was weeping for Gerda and her lovers, her friends, her could-have-been, her lost talent. I was weeping for Gerda because I started loving Gerda so much that I could not comprehend why I would not have the chance to meet her.
This story is not about love nor talent, it's about ideals and haveing the courage to stand up for what you believe in. And eventually, having to pay the prize for such courage. Because it's cosmic karma.
mtmteres's review against another edition
2.0
Reconstrucció de la vida de Gerda Taro a través dels records d'alguns amics que la van conéixer. Aquest és l'objectiu de l'autora, però crec que no acaba d'aconseguir del tot, allò que s'havia proposat: hi ha massa detalls que fan el ritme de la narrativa lent i feixuc.
M'ha costat molt, i encara que hi ha alguns elements interessants sobre fets històrics i les vivències de molts artistes i altres persones de diversos països que van moure's bastant pel continent seguint els diversos conflictes de l'època, he trobat que hi ha molt poc sobre el tema que a mi més m'interessava, l'evolució personal i professional de la Gerda.
M'ha costat molt, i encara que hi ha alguns elements interessants sobre fets històrics i les vivències de molts artistes i altres persones de diversos països que van moure's bastant pel continent seguint els diversos conflictes de l'època, he trobat que hi ha molt poc sobre el tema que a mi més m'interessava, l'evolució personal i professional de la Gerda.
virgi's review against another edition
1.0
Inizia bene, in maniera suggestiva, ma poi si perde. Linguaggio arzigogolato e snervante. Abbandonato dopo nemmeno 100 pagine
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