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al07734's review
2.0
It started out so good, then she meets Edward Gluck lol. The dialogue was so painfully awkward and unnatural to me. Plus I don't really care about religion so the story wasn't compelling.
jackalop3's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
camillap's review against another edition
4.0
Se volete leggere la mia recensione, basta cliccare sul link :)
http://bibliomaniarecensioni.blogspot.com/2009/10/original-bliss-alison-louise-kennedy.html
itsvikiduh's review
2.0
I have read in some reviews that people did not finish the book, and funnily enough I have a second-hand edition of „Original Bliss“ which is also read only half through, I can see it in the breaks of the book spine.
First I couldn’t understand what makes this book so unbearable to read, the first couple of short stories were interesting and promised a good start, but as it progresses it gets noticeably worse. I can’t even remember most of the short stories, but the main story, the „Original Bliss“ section really left me hanging dry. All characters, Mr. and Mrs Brindle, and Professor Edward are incredibly not likable. To be very honest, most of the reading I’m lost in what is going on, I feel awkward reading because the characters are so awkward and weird. That doesn’t mean it is necessarily bad, but in this case it is bad.
I wish I would have stopped like some of the reviewers and the pre-owner of my book, unfortunately I have the habit of finishing books that I started. I am looking forward to forgetting this book altogether very soon, and I highly DO NOT recommend reading it to anyone, not worth the time when there are so many other incredible books out there to read.
(it is well-written, but it doesn’t mean it’s good)
First I couldn’t understand what makes this book so unbearable to read, the first couple of short stories were interesting and promised a good start, but as it progresses it gets noticeably worse. I can’t even remember most of the short stories, but the main story, the „Original Bliss“ section really left me hanging dry. All characters, Mr. and Mrs Brindle, and Professor Edward are incredibly not likable. To be very honest, most of the reading I’m lost in what is going on, I feel awkward reading because the characters are so awkward and weird. That doesn’t mean it is necessarily bad, but in this case it is bad.
I wish I would have stopped like some of the reviewers and the pre-owner of my book, unfortunately I have the habit of finishing books that I started. I am looking forward to forgetting this book altogether very soon, and I highly DO NOT recommend reading it to anyone, not worth the time when there are so many other incredible books out there to read.
(it is well-written, but it doesn’t mean it’s good)
alzo79's review
4.0
I'm rating this purely on the 160 page novel at the end of this book. The short stories prior were all rather forgettable, samey. Those kind of short stories (as is often the case with me) where I just don't see the point of them. I think A.L Kennedy works better for me on the longer form, where she has the space to bring her complex characters to life, and in the novel Original Bliss there are two very complex characters that really held my interest. A middle-aged women, having something of an existential crisis, seeks the help of a professor/psychologist she sees on TV. The professor has some problems of his own. This is a novel where the characters and the story really get room to breathe and develop. I get the sense as always with A.L Kennedy of a meticulously planned out novel, but at the same time her characters surprise her along the way.
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