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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
I thought the first half was excellent but the rest fell flat for me. The characters didn't go anywhere and the climax wasn't very climactic.
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am so conflicted. The Piano Teacher (2001) has been my favourite movie for so long and so I’ve been anticipating reading the source material. Delving deeper into the perspectives of Erika, Walter and the Mother was really rewarding. My favourite part of the film was seeing the world through Erika’s uniquely awful perspective and the book really explored her motivations and desires very closely, which made the horrific events of the story more impactful. Those last few scenes in the book are just harrowing as Erika loses control over her body and sexuality… Certain images and moments from this book are so disturbing that they’ll stick in your mind long after you finish reading. I do think this is a very visually arresting book, there are so many striking images like Erika’s body pierced with dozens of coloured pins, the knife in her shoulder, her empty bedroom with just a closet full of unworn clothes, and more
Jelinek’s writing style is very unique. While the stream of consciousness style worked some of the time, it was often too convoluted. Analogies and metaphors were overdone, and paragraphs either jumped too quickly between ideas or too slowly. I struggled through chunks of the book particularly near the middle. The ending scenes drew me back into the novel, though I still leave feeling exhausted, not by the subject matter but at how much (in my opinion) unrelated fluff I had to read to get to the end. The film is an overall more satisfying and beautiful experience, and I will rewatch it rather than reread this. However, I will admit that parts of the book hit just right and left my mind reeling.
The book is also xenophobic at times.
Jelinek’s writing style is very unique. While the stream of consciousness style worked some of the time, it was often too convoluted. Analogies and metaphors were overdone, and paragraphs either jumped too quickly between ideas or too slowly. I struggled through chunks of the book particularly near the middle. The ending scenes drew me back into the novel, though I still leave feeling exhausted, not by the subject matter but at how much (in my opinion) unrelated fluff I had to read to get to the end. The film is an overall more satisfying and beautiful experience, and I will rewatch it rather than reread this. However, I will admit that parts of the book hit just right and left my mind reeling.
The book is also xenophobic at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Incest, Vomit
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fall of Man incarnate. Such horrible people - violent, toxic, arrogant. The writing is beautiful, but the atmosphere is suffocating. It lost me a bit in the latter middle, but I’d like to read it again, perhaps in the original German
challenging
dark
emotional
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
girllll don’t read this book that shit will kill you
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Man…. This book was a trip. I’ve never read a book with this style of writing before and it was unique, overwhelming, and thought provoking all at the same time. I wish the ending had been a bit different but wow what a wild book. I definitely think it’s a book that every time you reread it you would discover something new..
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes