Reviews

Lontananza by Vigdis Hjorth

alice_cardoso's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The book is very dense and psychologically very strong. It talks about a very difficult relationship between a woman and her mother. I found it very dense and a bit unsettling sometimes.

thequeenoftoads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

rh_222006's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

glossy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

eren_reads's review against another edition

Whilst I enjoyed what the author was trying to discuss I couldn't get past the writing style.

lommelun's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

londonpigeon's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Living vicariously through this book - the eternal and deadly bond between mother and daughter 

silvereads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

itsmandaaa's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

rouge_red's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

3.75

Apparently I've read too many mysteries because I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. There are revelations near the end of the novel, but there isn't anything as explosive as I was anticipating. Which isn't a bad thing because the book resolved in a way that was satisfying. Somehow it manages to stay engaging for a narrative that's tucked deeply inside this woman's head about her  difficult relationship with her mother. She's been mulling over how to get in contact with her after an absence of 30 years and through some choices on her part that her family feels deeply affected by. It can read as a tad obsessive and was even a little creepy at one point, but being so consumed by thoughts and wishes of reconciliation and a need to understand shared history can read that point. I found it quite moving by the end, especially when we get to where our MC has accepted things and her mother is still stuck. It's certainly a painful read at times as we're never quite who we think we are to other people vs. how we see ourselves. It's painful to think that Johanna's family so willingly gives her up (ie. she's essentially dead to them) by piling all these ideas together of her "shameful" behavior with her first husband, her art (which the mother thinks is directed at her) and what she was like as a child. In fact, Johanna's family feels like they're trapped since they don't want to listen to Johanna's explanations, instead carrying this burden of what outsides must think of their family and what the blame they've placed onto Johanna. It's not an easy story to read, but I think you have great empathy for what these women have gone through, especially when they seem unable/unwilling to think about their pasts.