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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
It's like a Wong Kar Wai film. Impressionistic, while filled with melancholy and sexual tension. Duras brought that same energy to "Hiroshima, Mon Amour." Plus, she often loads the main characters' narrations with affecting prose. For my money, Duras hasn't done better than this.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book gave me the creeps, in a good way. I loved the way Duras describes everything in the minutest detail. It's so beautifully written yet so eerie when you think about it. Also, best opening paragraph ever.
2.5 stars
this had some beautiful prose, and brings up some interesting themes, but felt like something completely different than what i signed up for. i was also just not a fan of the unconventional storytelling in this specific case; not very well done imo.
this had some beautiful prose, and brings up some interesting themes, but felt like something completely different than what i signed up for. i was also just not a fan of the unconventional storytelling in this specific case; not very well done imo.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
9just quick bullet points because im tirede
not quite on the level of other french writers around the same time , and since then themes of growinng in a french colony have been explored better by Claire Denis in Chocolat
-the style reminded me at times or Jeanette Winterson, but in a way where I wanted to drop this and read Winterson. Particularly a more mediocre book of hers- written on the body. it lacked the same wit and took itself too earnestly.
-the sex descriptions are disgusting, both because of context but also because Duras seems desperate to make them harrowing or poetic/sensual... but these scenes describe pedophilia. writing for a long time has romanticised scenes of sexual assault under the guise of representing its horrors, so this was no surprise. to me it is irrelevant that it is autobiographical.
-Duras attempts to write about the racism within the French coloniesin vietnam. however, she herself writes her 'lover', a chinese man, as a weak, effeminate person, limp and childish, unlike her white brothers. it feels quite fetishistic of his asian identity. she almost seems to relish his subordinate position.
-the sexual descriptions of her schoolgril friend's breasts seem to be using homosexual imagery in a naff way, to appear trendy. i could never figure out if it was meant to be a lesbian romance or not. it seemed too much like it was used for shock value.
-also, duras repeatedly talks about poverty and how she is poor, though in actions she seems to have quite a bit of money, and in fact owned slaves. she briefly mentions that she woukd never go hungry as her slaves did, in an odd moment of self reflection that spoils the rest of the book- why bring it up at all? to admonish herself of white guilt? if it is largely irrelevant to the rest of the story.
-no one cares about your mans fedora.
-the writing is overblown and uninteresting. the grammar is poor.
-her descriptions of the hunter and killing where immature and tryhard.
-the good part is her relationship with her mother. although i have seen it done better many, many times, her mother was the best and most interesting part of a novel which falsely tried to take on the themes of passion and sexuality. it had nothing to do with love or sex, but forced this lover plot to be the main thing- as if duras needed an anchor , one she was used to, like her work on screenplays such as hiroshima, mon amour.
-overall the writing is pretentious and lacks discipline. the main character is very obnoxious. the mother character is interesting. some parts are overwritten.
-no, she does not understand the racial elements or colonisation, nor anything about gender and power.
a more uninteresting diary.
not quite on the level of other french writers around the same time , and since then themes of growinng in a french colony have been explored better by Claire Denis in Chocolat
-the style reminded me at times or Jeanette Winterson, but in a way where I wanted to drop this and read Winterson. Particularly a more mediocre book of hers- written on the body. it lacked the same wit and took itself too earnestly.
-the sex descriptions are disgusting, both because of context but also because Duras seems desperate to make them harrowing or poetic/sensual... but these scenes describe pedophilia. writing for a long time has romanticised scenes of sexual assault under the guise of representing its horrors, so this was no surprise. to me it is irrelevant that it is autobiographical.
-Duras attempts to write about the racism within the French coloniesin vietnam. however, she herself writes her 'lover', a chinese man, as a weak, effeminate person, limp and childish, unlike her white brothers. it feels quite fetishistic of his asian identity. she almost seems to relish his subordinate position.
-the sexual descriptions of her schoolgril friend's breasts seem to be using homosexual imagery in a naff way, to appear trendy. i could never figure out if it was meant to be a lesbian romance or not. it seemed too much like it was used for shock value.
-also, duras repeatedly talks about poverty and how she is poor, though in actions she seems to have quite a bit of money, and in fact owned slaves. she briefly mentions that she woukd never go hungry as her slaves did, in an odd moment of self reflection that spoils the rest of the book- why bring it up at all? to admonish herself of white guilt? if it is largely irrelevant to the rest of the story.
-no one cares about your mans fedora.
-the writing is overblown and uninteresting. the grammar is poor.
-her descriptions of the hunter and killing where immature and tryhard.
-the good part is her relationship with her mother. although i have seen it done better many, many times, her mother was the best and most interesting part of a novel which falsely tried to take on the themes of passion and sexuality. it had nothing to do with love or sex, but forced this lover plot to be the main thing- as if duras needed an anchor , one she was used to, like her work on screenplays such as hiroshima, mon amour.
-overall the writing is pretentious and lacks discipline. the main character is very obnoxious. the mother character is interesting. some parts are overwritten.
-no, she does not understand the racial elements or colonisation, nor anything about gender and power.
a more uninteresting diary.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tough read. I can see why it’s a classic and I am sure it has stirred the reading world at it’s publishing day but it’s not my kind of book.