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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Sometimes beautiful, sometimes a bit tedious. Mostly beautiful.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Generally lovely. It wonders a bit (as I'm told Knausgaard is known for) I had a certain nagging sense that this should have been his wife's story to tell, not his, and narratives where people paint themselves too well are always a little suspect. But as a book written by a father to his newly born daughter (a fourth child), it is very sweet. There is real love apparent here. In a world saturated with stories of toxic masculinity it was a real pleasure to read about a father valuing his children and family. Despite not reading the previous books in the series (and my copy anomalously missing the 8 pages between 102-111) I followed this without issue and would be happy to read more.
hopeful
medium-paced
This was the first book I read within Knausgard's seasons quartet and it quickly hooked me to complete the rest of his collection. His writing is easeful, beautifully descriptive and written in complete honesty. In interviews for his works, Knausgard talks about how he struggles but persists in writing his books for himself and not the end reader. It takes dedication to remain honest in your work and not write for perception but from empirical knowledge and feelings. This particular book is written as a record for his new born daughter of their family life during a spring season. The tangents he indulges in throughout the book color it with genially attentive descriptions of the world around him and historic moments in his family life. The content of the book is dramatic in a lot of ways (mainly his wife's depression that leaves him to raise his four kids alone, in a sense) but he tackles these problems with logic, compassion, and inner turmoil that is hidden from others. The novel is written so beautifully that I often forgot he was retelling his life and not a fictitious one, which shows just how wonderfully present he is in his style. This is a book i'd recommend to anyone and everyone.