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kassiani's review against another edition
4.25
A Masterclass in writing!
Haunting tale of a woman in complete delirium, going into fugue states, suffering from dissociation and split personalities.
Loved the psychological portraits and the debate on identity:
- always performing for others’ expectations
- striving / yearning to be loved / not to be alone, while being afraid of intimacy and of being truly known / seen
- lucid dream sequences (assault, violence, murder) = eerie and unreal feeling.
Deranged and deranging and wonderfully human.
Haunting tale of a woman in complete delirium, going into fugue states, suffering from dissociation and split personalities.
Loved the psychological portraits and the debate on identity:
- always performing for others’ expectations
- striving / yearning to be loved / not to be alone, while being afraid of intimacy and of being truly known / seen
- lucid dream sequences (assault, violence, murder) = eerie and unreal feeling.
Deranged and deranging and wonderfully human.
elisebrancheau's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not sure I really "got" this one...I understand that the main character, "M.R" is succumbing to the pressures of her job, as well as the pressure she places on herself (something I can relate to), but the story seemed to meander too much at times, and I could have done with less political rambling and administrative details about the University, as well as the heavy philosophical element. I feel like the author was trying to make some sort of statement, or provide some profound insight, but I didn't quite understand what that was. Maybe this passage is supposed to be the "moral of the story": "You don't have to understand why anything that has happened to you has happened nor do you even have to understand what it is that has happened. You only have to live with the remains." But I am not sure. I'm not sure about a lot of the story. The end was also a bit confusing, but I just finished the book this morning and might have to think about it for a while before I (hopefully) understand it. I can see others enjoying this book, but it wasn't really for me.
fkshg8465's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book will stay with me for a long time. I’m continuously amazed by the stories writers come up with that are as original as this one. I’ll reread this one often most likely. I hope the Mudwoman finds peace!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Child death, Homophobia, Blood, Death, Body horror, Infidelity, Death of parent, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Grief, War, and Rape
witzelsucht's review against another edition
4.0
An immersive non-linear study of a woman from troubled girlhood to middle-aged breakdown. Hard work to get into, initially - I found the prose off-putting until it just clicked for me. I love JCO's ability to capture the interiority, gnawing insecurities and painful dysfunctions of her characters. A slow burn but worth it.
yvonne_s's review against another edition
3.0
I started this book several times and just couldn't get into it, even though I'd been to see Joyce Carol Oates at a reading and had found what she read from the book intriguing.
Having finally read it, I'm not sure what I think about it. I really wanted to like it, especially since I'd really enjoyed the reading, but something just didn't quite work for me. I enjoyed some aspects of it, but felt irritated by others. For instance by the time I'd read 6 times about her (secret) lover, I had got the message. Yet he was still being referred to that way in the last few chapters.
As some other reviewers have commented, I'm not sure I found the main character entirely believable - or maybe it was just that I didn't find her hugely likeable.
Having finally read it, I'm not sure what I think about it. I really wanted to like it, especially since I'd really enjoyed the reading, but something just didn't quite work for me. I enjoyed some aspects of it, but felt irritated by others. For instance by the time I'd read 6 times about her (secret) lover, I had got the message. Yet he was still being referred to that way in the last few chapters.
As some other reviewers have commented, I'm not sure I found the main character entirely believable - or maybe it was just that I didn't find her hugely likeable.
beefmaster's review against another edition
3.0
Oates disappointed me for the very first time. It's not a bad novel per se but it's certainly not a great one. Some of her best prose but some of her weakest plotting.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
1.0
Didn't like they way it was written, felt overdone and I didn't get invested in the stories of characters. Felt like this kept on babling on and on. I have enjoyed some other books by Joyce Carol Oates but this was just not my cup of the. Was just a choir to get through
malitia's review against another edition
3.0
http://dustypagesinwonderland.blogspot.it/2013/07/recensione-la-donna-del-fango-di-joyce.html
Di Joyce Carol Oates ho letto solo un libro, notevole e appassionante. La ragazza tatuata era un racconto coinvolgente, sviscerale, che faceva del tratto psicologico il suo indelebile punto di forza. Credo che la Oates sia proprio questo genere di autrice: una che, dei suoi personaggi, conosce le più intima paura e ossessione, e che riesce a renderli davvero reali e in carne e ossa.
In questo caso l’approfondimento è stato talmente magistrale da ripiegarsi su se stesso. Ne La donna del fango la psicologia della protagonista, quasi morta, da piccolissima, perché affogata nel fango dalla madre e ora rettrice di un’università prestigiosa, sfuma fino a raggiungere i confini dell’insanità e dell’immaginazione. Non viene mai chiarita la differenza tra realtà e follia – e nemmeno di follia potremmo parlare, quanto di visioni e sogni -, quindi spetta al lettore scindere le due componenti e cercare – vanamente – un significato che probabilmente solo Freud potrebbe trovare.
M. R. è infatti una donna apparentemente equilibrata, amante da anni di un uomo freddo ed egocentrico, nei confronti del quale, nonostante i meriti ottenuti, si sente una bambina. Non si è mai ritenuta figlia di quei genitori che l’hanno adottata e da cui si è allontanata per frequentare l’università, contraddicendo le aspirazioni modeste che loro avevano sul suo futuro. I rapporti con l’altro sesso, con la sua femminilità e con la sua posizione di potere sono difficoltosi: M.R. cerca continuamente di emulare un modello maschile autorevole, essendo consapevole che il ruolo di rettrice donna la svantaggia. Il carico di aspettative e di avvoltoi che attendono un suo passo falso la pone in difficoltà prima di tutto con se stessa: M.R. cerca continuamente di essere all’altezza, controlla i suoi comportamenti, vuole essere materna e comprensiva e contemporaneamente ferma, autorevole e stimata. Vuole essere perfetta: la donna di cui l’intera università manterrà il ricordo e l’uomo efficiente che la porterà in auge.
Da queste forti aspettative e dalla conflittualità con se stessa – M.R. è l’abbreviativo del suo nome, Meredith Ruth, con cui spera di presentarsi in maniera asessuata – nasce il contrasto tra l’ “io” apparente di M.R., forte, determinata, controllata e irreprensibile, e quello del suo subconscio che si manifesta in maniera efferata, attraverso visioni di omicidi e incontri sessuali violenti.
Il percorso di M.R. confluisce nel ritorno al luogo in cui è nata e a quello in cui è cresciuta. Della sua formazione conosciamo ogni dettaglio: i capitoli della M.R. adulta si alternano a quelli della M.R. bambina e adolescente.
La narrazione è nevrotica, nervosa, spesso pesante. Il libro non decolla prima di pagina centocinquanta e il quadro della Oates è troppo minuzioso, così complesso da dare l’idea di non essere riusciti a cogliere moltissime delle sfumature del personaggio protagonista. I momenti di tensione sono pochi perché La donna del fango non ha una specifica trama, ma è quanto più un viaggio nell’interiorità di M.R., nei disturbi che la ossessionano e sfoceranno in un gesto finale che – forse – dà per perduto quel ritorno alla normalità apparentemente ormai ricostituito.
Ho letto il libro con difficoltà e senza troppo entusiasmo, con l’impressione che La donna del fango non fosse stato scritto per i comuni mortali. Non la definirei una lettura appassionante ma profondamente riflessiva, a tratti incomprensibile eppure affascinante, se si coglie la chiave di volta con cui Joyce Carol Oates ha voluto caratterizzare M.R.
Do una stellina in meno rispetto a La ragazza tatuata per l’obiettivo fallito del coinvolgimento emotivo da parte del lettore, seppur il tentativo di costruire un mosaico complesso – e anche riuscito, ma a danno della scorrevolezza e della piacevolezza della storia – lo renderebbe superiore alla storia dell’antisemita Alma.
amroemer's review against another edition
4.0
It was intensely bizarre and realistic to see how the multiple unresolved traumas resurfaced throughout the main character's life. Some other reviews said the plot went nowhere; I think it illustrated the ongoing cycle of trauma, neurosis, psychosis and resiliency.
nocturnal's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0