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kirsten0929's review against another edition
4.0
[1981] notes to self…Fantastic opening line: “Dr. Weiss, at forty, knew that her life had been ruined by literature.” My sixth and maybe favorite Brookner so far. As usual, both dated and timeless, which I find disorienting but also endearing. Loneliness, infidelity, waiting, aging, resistance, acceptance, resignation, questionable decision making, desperation, dysfunction. If you’re going to read Brookner, this is what you’re going to get, love it or leave it. Paced fairly well until the end when it seemed to squoosh a lot in to wrap it up.
byp's review against another edition
4.0
British lady has awful parents and starts going to school to get away from them.
laila4343's review against another edition
3.0
Brookner's first novel. Kind of a downer, but beautifully written.
reneoro's review against another edition
4.0
A sus cuarenta años, la doctora Weiss comprendió que la literatura le había destrozado la vida.
mariamag001's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
harrirl0's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
william1349's review against another edition
4.0
Sometimes I read an Anita Brookner novel and wonder if it’s misogynistic to enjoy writing that is so sadistically cruel to these poor women
alundeberg's review against another edition
4.0
It's not surprising that I would be intrigued by Ruth Weiss, the protagonist in Anita Brookner's "A Start in Life". She is an introverted, bookish only child and teacher whose life has been ruined by literature. She studies French authors and goes off to Paris and has a string of lovers (she and I diverge on that part). Now at forty years old, she is taking stock of her life and its various false starts. This novella is classic Brookner: everything happens, nothing happens. We are not even sure, after Ruth has reflected on her misadventures, if she will now pursue a new start in life, and Brookner leaves us with the question of if it's even worth it. Through the various female characters and their chosen careers or paths, their roles in life ultimately hinge on being a mother, wife, or daughter and the needs and expectations other people place on them. A life of freedom also means waiting around on men. I am making this book sound like a downer, but have you been a woman?
In all honesty, this a quietly sardonic and funny read. Brookner's eye for detail skewers society's mores and the illusions we have about ourselves versus the reality. Brookner might not be for everyone, but to read her work is to delight in fine and precise writing. I recommend.
In all honesty, this a quietly sardonic and funny read. Brookner's eye for detail skewers society's mores and the illusions we have about ourselves versus the reality. Brookner might not be for everyone, but to read her work is to delight in fine and precise writing. I recommend.