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hopegreen's review against another edition
1.0
it's robinson crusoe fanfiction. I remember being very flummoxed by it and rather relieved I didn't have to write an essay about it.
aberdeenwaters's review against another edition
4.0
Coetzee has such a way with words and helping the reader get in tune with the interior of his characters. There's also a lot going on as far as meta-commentary on writer-reader relations goes. Had to pause and digest some the passages and ideas. I certainly want to read more from him.
rsuarez5's review
challenging
informative
reflective
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? No
3.75
smashproduct's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
thecrematedwizard's review against another edition
3.0
An exploration of the power (and disillusionment) of authorship, and the impact of perspective upon reality. Coetzee highlights in particular the binaries of author/scriptor, voice/voiceless and experience/intellect, where in this instance, the author function takes precedence over the reader's interpretation; the 'real' author of Susan's story - Susan herself - is obscured underneath the power imbalance of author/scriptor in the world of literary storytelling. Foe, I would say, is a fundamentally important revelation of the distortion of the reality of a story when it comes to penning said story - so much so that even the author can begin to lose sight of the authentic when faced with different appealing aspects of cultural discourse. Foe is essentially the illustration of the struggle of subjectivity through specific narration; it draws particular attention to the blanks or silences that activate our wandering viewpoint, while enabling us to question the validity of each character's perception of a singular event. Overall, a provoking and engaging read. I recommend it to those particularly interested in the idea of authorship and the parallels we see throughout the complex and critical design of 'literature'.
tomrubenreads's review against another edition
4.0
A story within a story used to tell another story, or at least, dissect another story to tell the story of storytelling. What it means to write, to tell stories, to remember, or to be in this world. Coetzee at it once again.
ayaminerva's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0