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gadicohen93's review against another edition
4.0
Three sections, each a different expedition at a different part of the narrator’s life, examining his relationships to different people and to himself through the lens of a traveler’s journey. I found the writing moving, fluid, and found the constantly shifting POV to be intriguing, even if the narrator switched between first and third within the same paragraph with little reason, but I appreciated the ambiguity of the historical self. I really loved the first section and found it steamy and beautiful and sad; the second one a bit unmemorable; the crisis of the third one to feel realistic and harrowing.
moth_dance's review against another edition
3.0
Read this for a graduate class, otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up on my own TBH. I enjoyed its elegance, strangeness, and evocativeness. Big Annie Proulx's "Brokeback Mountain" vibes to start, some bits of forgettable story in between, and it ends like an Ian McEwan novel.
It surprised me many times in terms of plot, but there were moments where I wished the narrators explored the female characters with a bit more detail and care.
It surprised me many times in terms of plot, but there were moments where I wished the narrators explored the female characters with a bit more detail and care.
rachaelprest's review against another edition
4.0
A book alive with tension, the interactions with his fellow travellers carrying you along with the promise of a resolution that never comes. Each section just highlights the impossibility of ever truly understanding the workings of another person’s mind.
maggotmolehill's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
krobart's review against another edition
4.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2018/05/21/day-1219-in-a-strange-room/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2018/05/21/day-1219-in-a-strange-room/
kathieboucher's review against another edition
4.0
Three novellas about travel and the distance between travelers--and that distance can be the most unfathomable chasm of all. Well-written, with an interesting first-person/third person vantage point.
clmckinney's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
his is a book of semi auto fiction. It details 3 trips made by the character Damon. All of these stories outline different experiences our main has in different climes. What is most interesting is Galgut's ability to display the human experience in such all its glory and misery. These tales touch on loneliness, isolation, friendship, traveling, culture, politics to name a few. I really liked this novel, it is not hard to believe this was nominated for the booker prize. I give this one a 5/5. Galgut is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. He can do no wrong.
emjay2021's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
I was on some pretty good painkillers when reading the first part of this book, so I have no idea what effect that had on my perception of it. I thought the writing was quite good--it reminded me a little of Ian McEwan. However, for a little while I was slightly baffled by the way the narrator would refer to himself in both third and first person, sometimes within the same paragraph, and sometimes within the same sentence! I'm still not entirely sure what the author was trying to achieve with this, and I'm not entirely sure it was a good choice on his part.
The first two stories were OK, though I often found my attention wandering. However, I was glad I pressed on, because I really, really liked the third part, "The Guardian." I read it quickly and was totally absorbed by it. It was tragic but fascinating. The author did a great job of communicating the terror and despair felt by the narrator and his charge, Anna. It was very moving.
While I was reading the novel, I kept wondering how autobiographical it was, given that the protagonist's name is Damon. I think I'd like to read more by this author, even though this one didn't completely grab me.
I was on some pretty good painkillers when reading the first part of this book, so I have no idea what effect that had on my perception of it. I thought the writing was quite good--it reminded me a little of Ian McEwan. However, for a little while I was slightly baffled by the way the narrator would refer to himself in both third and first person, sometimes within the same paragraph, and sometimes within the same sentence! I'm still not entirely sure what the author was trying to achieve with this, and I'm not entirely sure it was a good choice on his part.
The first two stories were OK, though I often found my attention wandering. However, I was glad I pressed on, because I really, really liked the third part, "The Guardian." I read it quickly and was totally absorbed by it. It was tragic but fascinating. The author did a great job of communicating the terror and despair felt by the narrator and his charge, Anna. It was very moving.
While I was reading the novel, I kept wondering how autobiographical it was, given that the protagonist's name is Damon. I think I'd like to read more by this author, even though this one didn't completely grab me.
seraphljfh's review against another edition
3.0
Felt exactly like reading The Alchemist. So if you like that you will enjoy this.
annebrooke's review against another edition
5.0
This is another top-notch reading from Galgut, who is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. He's both literary and readable which is a rare combination. I loved the fluid writing here and the different roles the main character takes - that of follower, lover and guardian. It's both gripping and subtle. I wasn't sure about the flexibility between the use of "I" and "he" when it came to the main character but it certainly adds to the mystery. And I understand why he did it. The last section - the "guardian" is the most traumatic but the incredibly delicate ending gives you an immensely satisfying payback. Wonderful work.