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shannonrkline's review against another edition
4.0
Don’t read this if you care about plot! Since I don’t, I quite enjoyed it.
melanie_reads's review against another edition
3.0
My star rating: mid-level three stars
This book is a bit slow and middling until the point I realized how it was simply following an unraveling of one man's life as he descends into loneliness and lack of direction as his career ends and his wife leaves him.
Definitely not my favorite book this year, but I look forward to what Kilalea has up her sleeve.
This book is a bit slow and middling until the point I realized how it was simply following an unraveling of one man's life as he descends into loneliness and lack of direction as his career ends and his wife leaves him.
Definitely not my favorite book this year, but I look forward to what Kilalea has up her sleeve.
kheniges's review against another edition
3.0
Katharine Kilalea's debut novel follows Mr. Field, an eerie former pianist whose wrist was irreparably damaged in a train accident. He moves to a modernist replica home of an architectural masterpiece, where his life begins to fall apart. His behavior grows erratic but he never seems to be aware of what he is doing or consciously choosing to do it. Kilalea's writing is poetic and imaginative, bute the ending left me wanting more. The story feels unfinished and unresolved.
bookishbun's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, and Stalking
lu_wilson's review against another edition
1.0
"Being in the dark is like being on the inside of one’s own body"
A man is involved in an accident in London and uses the compensation pay-out to buy a house in South Africa. He moves into said house with his wife, who goes on to leave him (I don’t blame her). That is pretty much it. He sits around, occasionally plays the piano and ponders about strange, random things. Oh wait, he does eventually start stalking the woman who sold him the house, but even that was uneventful. Yawn.
I accept this book was intentionally based around loneliness and depression, with the protagonist quickly losing his connection with reality and becoming obsessive. I doubt anyone suffering from these inflictions would want to read about them and those that don’t certainly would not feel any better for doing so. This story was depressing, slow and extremely dull. There was a large amount of reflection by the main protagonist, but it never led anywhere. The rumination was too long-winded to be remarkable with no accomplishment, no conflict and no point. The author conveyed isolation and misery well, but the majority of the story felt meaningless.
I honestly could not provide a detailed description of the plot. After reading a paragraph, a page, a chapter, I could hardly recall exactly what had happened, I was completely indifferent. At only 200 pages this should have been a quick read, but it took me almost a week to wade through. I did however have 3 enjoyable afternoon naps thanks to this book! I guess this was meant to be a philosophical work about the humdrum of the everyday, and some people (you know the type) will wax lyrical about this being a masterpiece. I however feel like I have just lost a chunk of my life.
A man is involved in an accident in London and uses the compensation pay-out to buy a house in South Africa. He moves into said house with his wife, who goes on to leave him (I don’t blame her). That is pretty much it. He sits around, occasionally plays the piano and ponders about strange, random things. Oh wait, he does eventually start stalking the woman who sold him the house, but even that was uneventful. Yawn.
I accept this book was intentionally based around loneliness and depression, with the protagonist quickly losing his connection with reality and becoming obsessive. I doubt anyone suffering from these inflictions would want to read about them and those that don’t certainly would not feel any better for doing so. This story was depressing, slow and extremely dull. There was a large amount of reflection by the main protagonist, but it never led anywhere. The rumination was too long-winded to be remarkable with no accomplishment, no conflict and no point. The author conveyed isolation and misery well, but the majority of the story felt meaningless.
I honestly could not provide a detailed description of the plot. After reading a paragraph, a page, a chapter, I could hardly recall exactly what had happened, I was completely indifferent. At only 200 pages this should have been a quick read, but it took me almost a week to wade through. I did however have 3 enjoyable afternoon naps thanks to this book! I guess this was meant to be a philosophical work about the humdrum of the everyday, and some people (you know the type) will wax lyrical about this being a masterpiece. I however feel like I have just lost a chunk of my life.
lily_phaeton's review against another edition
4.0
i really enjoyed this book. it’s brought me out of my reading slump, because the writing is gorgeously poetic
the only thing i didn’t really like about it was the lack of a plot, and i really like a plot in a book. it’s very open to interpretation, but it’s clear that we are seeing inside the mind of a man with depression, who, in his loneliness, imagines not being alone.
i thought it was very human, and beautifully well written :)
the only thing i didn’t really like about it was the lack of a plot, and i really like a plot in a book. it’s very open to interpretation, but it’s clear that we are seeing inside the mind of a man with depression, who, in his loneliness, imagines not being alone.
i thought it was very human, and beautifully well written :)
sarahlord0110's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
0.5
matt777's review against another edition
3.0
This book was really good at first. Then it got really dry. Overall, it wasn't awful.
If you hate copious description and terribly hard to follow, elaborate metaphors, you definitely won't like this book. It felt, largely, like a colouring book of philosophical metaphors which the reader was obliged to colour in for the novel to be complete. It is one of those books which demands the reader put in as much work as the author.
That said, if you enjoy that kind of abstract, philosophical novel, you'll like this one. Additionally, the writing is exquisite—vibrant, creative, honest, and soothing. The entire tone of this novel is like a low, calming hum from the ocean. The plot transpires slowly, reflectively, and entirely in beige.
OK, Mr Field was a very good novel, but not everyone's cup of tea. I enjoyed it, but was bored at parts, too.
If you hate copious description and terribly hard to follow, elaborate metaphors, you definitely won't like this book. It felt, largely, like a colouring book of philosophical metaphors which the reader was obliged to colour in for the novel to be complete. It is one of those books which demands the reader put in as much work as the author.
That said, if you enjoy that kind of abstract, philosophical novel, you'll like this one. Additionally, the writing is exquisite—vibrant, creative, honest, and soothing. The entire tone of this novel is like a low, calming hum from the ocean. The plot transpires slowly, reflectively, and entirely in beige.
OK, Mr Field was a very good novel, but not everyone's cup of tea. I enjoyed it, but was bored at parts, too.
bookynooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
megawalk's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ✨
Fans of The Bell Jar or Lolita may enjoy this book, as it similarly follows the mental decline of an unreliable narrator.
Pretty prose. Pointless plot. I can get behind a good character study and I did enjoy aspects of the book, but it just never came together.
Fans of The Bell Jar or Lolita may enjoy this book, as it similarly follows the mental decline of an unreliable narrator.
Pretty prose. Pointless plot. I can get behind a good character study and I did enjoy aspects of the book, but it just never came together.