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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
The story of Mata Hari told through the switching perspective in the form of letters by and her lawyer. It was an interesting take and introduction to her story, but lacked some of the beauty and prose one expects from Coelho. Still I’m glad to have read it.
This book was okay. It was a fast read. I read it in a day. The premise was interesting and She definitely had a unique journey. This book was sometimes infuriating and depressing and the beginning was very violent. I don’t know if I would want to read this author again.
A fairly good book about the short life of Marta Hari. It throws light on life in Paris and Europe during the First World War. The story doesn't provide much detail and Coelho manages to blur the lines between fiction and fact. I read this in one sitting and sadly, it left me wanting to know more. Hari comes across as a person who was either extremely intelligent of fairly delusional. Nevertheless she is an interesting figure to base a book on. This book is quite different from Cohelo's other works and I'm pleased that he chose to deal with such a subject. I felt the book ought to have been named something else because to me, it didn't really throw light on espionage per se. All in all, I'd rate it 3 stars and advise anyone who has no idea about Mata-Hari's to read this book and acquaint themselves with this rebel of a woman.
4.5 STARS.
Now this, this is a feminist type read I can get behind. Based on true events and a very much real woman (who I am most definitely going to be researching further), this was an incredible read about a woman who did what she wanted with her body and strived for a different life and was essential executed because of it. It's more complicated than that, and this is from her letter in jail, but I was intrigued and enlightened and would highly recommend this.
Now this, this is a feminist type read I can get behind. Based on true events and a very much real woman (who I am most definitely going to be researching further), this was an incredible read about a woman who did what she wanted with her body and strived for a different life and was essential executed because of it. It's more complicated than that, and this is from her letter in jail, but I was intrigued and enlightened and would highly recommend this.
Važno je za početak napomenuti kako se knjiga o Mata Hari sastoji od tri dijela. Prva dva su zanimljiva, fantastično napisana, a treći onda kao hladan tuš zezne sve.
Mata Hari bila je i ostala legenda. Njezin život, potom i smrti dignuli su je i dali joj više-manje zasluženo mjesto u povijesti. Bila je prekrasna, bila je zavodnica u burnom vremenu koje se nije moglo nositi samo sa sobom, a kamoli sa ženom koja je prkosila samim svojim bivanjem. Upravo njezina perspektiva je zanimljiva, bogata emocijama, te se čitatelj može lako poistovjetiti s njom upijajući njezin lik iz Coelhovog pera. Moram priznati kako me njezina perspektiva podsjetila na stil pisanja Slavenke Drakulić koju obožavam i ne mogu ne požaliti što Coelho nije stao na tome.
Naime, perspektiva njezina odvjetnika koja je cijeli treći dio je istovremena osuda Mate Hari kroz prizmu malograđavštine koja si to nikada neće priznati i slavljenje njezina lika uzdizanje na mitsku razinu koja je bespotrebna. Najgore od svega, dosadna je. Jednolična. Nakon bogatstva lika i djela legende perspektiva njezina odvjetnika je ekvivalentna piljenju u zid. Niti ima koristi, a bome nije ni zabavno.
Mata Hari bila je i ostala legenda. Njezin život, potom i smrti dignuli su je i dali joj više-manje zasluženo mjesto u povijesti. Bila je prekrasna, bila je zavodnica u burnom vremenu koje se nije moglo nositi samo sa sobom, a kamoli sa ženom koja je prkosila samim svojim bivanjem. Upravo njezina perspektiva je zanimljiva, bogata emocijama, te se čitatelj može lako poistovjetiti s njom upijajući njezin lik iz Coelhovog pera. Moram priznati kako me njezina perspektiva podsjetila na stil pisanja Slavenke Drakulić koju obožavam i ne mogu ne požaliti što Coelho nije stao na tome.
Naime, perspektiva njezina odvjetnika koja je cijeli treći dio je istovremena osuda Mate Hari kroz prizmu malograđavštine koja si to nikada neće priznati i slavljenje njezina lika uzdizanje na mitsku razinu koja je bespotrebna. Najgore od svega, dosadna je. Jednolična. Nakon bogatstva lika i djela legende perspektiva njezina odvjetnika je ekvivalentna piljenju u zid. Niti ima koristi, a bome nije ni zabavno.
I was captivated in the beginning and then slowly lost interest, but Mata Hari is a badass bitch worth reading about. I would be interested in reading a different version of the story that incorporates the information that gets declassified by the French military in October of this year - one hundred years after her execution.
I was interested to read this to find out more about Mata Hari, but I found the book quite boring. It was also very confusing, jumping around from time and place without preamble.
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think I would like this better if I thought it was more accurate than it is. She was killed and as more evidence comes out, it looks like she was indeed innocent of the charge of spying/treason. I have a feeling she was less in control of her destiny than she was in this telling. Still, it was a well told tale and worth the read.