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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
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:
No
This is an incredible book. Do not let it’s shortness deceive you—it is full of amazing (although sometimes confusing) writing with some of the most beautiful sentences I’ve ever read. This story is told in an interesting way, with the narrator lamenting the start of the book and constantly asking the readers questions. It’s also interesting that lispector chose a male voice to tell this story despite the main character being a woman (and obviously being a woman herself), but it really adds to the entire story. Macabea goes through the world only knowing she exists because she does, and by the time she realizes that things could be different, she is punished as she knew she would be by the God who’s name she does not know. This was an amazing read and since it’s so short I can see myself definitely picking it up again.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-paced
Perhaps it just didn't work so well as an audiobook but I enjoyed this one a lot less than I originally expected. For many reasons, I found this to be a really frustrating listen but not in an intriguing or disturbing way and in the end, was glad that it finally finished. However, it does include some captivating reflections, reminiscing on class, coming of age, beauty standards, making it in life but also in death and the ending is actually really beautiful. Overall a confusing experience for me, might need to re-read it in a physical form at some point to truly give it justice.
I listened to Tommy Orange on a podcast say this was his favorite book and that he re-reads it often and always finds something new. I was intrigued because I knew it was a short book. It's hard to put my finger on what I loved about this book and I think that's why it needs to be re-read. I think some of the beauty comes from the translation, but the tone of the speaker is such that you find yourself agreeing even though you don't completely understand.
A few passages I highlighted:
"At least the future had the advantage of not being the present, for bad things there's always something better. But there wasn't any human misery in her. Because she had within her a certain fresh flower. Since, as strange as it may seem, she believed. She was only fine organic matter. She existed. That's it. And me? The only thing known about me is that I breathe."
"I find myself through your God. Why do I write? What do I know? No idea. Yes, it's true, I sometimes think that I'm not me, I seem to belong to a distant galaxy because I'm so strange to myself. Is this me? I am frightened to encounter myself."
"And when she woke up? When she woke up she no longer knew who she was. Only later did she think with satisfaction: I'm a typist and a virgin, and I like coca-cola. Only then did she dress herself in herself, she spent the rest of her day obediently playing the role of being."
A few passages I highlighted:
"At least the future had the advantage of not being the present, for bad things there's always something better. But there wasn't any human misery in her. Because she had within her a certain fresh flower. Since, as strange as it may seem, she believed. She was only fine organic matter. She existed. That's it. And me? The only thing known about me is that I breathe."
"I find myself through your God. Why do I write? What do I know? No idea. Yes, it's true, I sometimes think that I'm not me, I seem to belong to a distant galaxy because I'm so strange to myself. Is this me? I am frightened to encounter myself."
"And when she woke up? When she woke up she no longer knew who she was. Only later did she think with satisfaction: I'm a typist and a virgin, and I like coca-cola. Only then did she dress herself in herself, she spent the rest of her day obediently playing the role of being."
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of the most unique books I have ever read. The narration is so harsh and switches from personal reflection to telling the story of Macabea quickly- but intentionally does so to demonstrate how the two intertwine. I would’ve never guessed that the title refers to the hour before death when a person is promoted to a “movie star” status as they are about to be as popular as ever in death. The concept haunts me but that is often the marker of an important piece of art- something that stays with the readers for a long time after reading.