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dilaraguney's review against another edition
emotional
relaxing
slow-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
3.75
tildahlia's review against another edition
4.0
Cusk has been recommended to me for a long time, and I picked up the first of this trilogy in lockdown. Weirdly, it didn’t grab me at the time - but lockdown had scrambled a lot of my normal reading preferences. I’m back on track now and enjoyed this book - particularly the descriptions of her house and hostile neighbours. It had a thoughtful pace and simplicity I liked.
fbroom's review against another edition
Rachel Cusk’s prose is elegant and exquisite. I’ve enjoyed Outline tremendously and continued to enjoy Transit.
Faye is back in London. She buys an old flat that requires renovations. She bumps into an old ex-boyfriend and they have a conversation together. She hires Tony to work on the flat. She goes to a literary event and meets interesting writers. She also talks to a friend who works in fashion and finally she goes to see a cousin who lived in some small town. Cusk has this ability of turning these conversations into something enjoyable and meaningful. Her observations are precise and powerful.
Faye is back in London. She buys an old flat that requires renovations. She bumps into an old ex-boyfriend and they have a conversation together. She hires Tony to work on the flat. She goes to a literary event and meets interesting writers. She also talks to a friend who works in fashion and finally she goes to see a cousin who lived in some small town. Cusk has this ability of turning these conversations into something enjoyable and meaningful. Her observations are precise and powerful.
ericmellow's review
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
joelhallifax's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5
'Fate, he said, is only truth in it's natural state.'
Not 5 minutes ago did I close the final pages of this book and I held onto those final pages for dear life. This was such a fascinating, illuminating, insightful (synonyms!) and intelligent book. The characters felt real and worldly and were always dealt with such grace, empathy and sympathy, the character descriptions alone made me feel like a better person.
It's a very philosophical read too, delving into so many elements of the human psyche and particularly fate, love and childhood. The core idea of this book which is maturity and growth is explored in so many angles, from the musings of a hairdresser to an argument over how to parent your children, to learning to love someone more once they're gone. It can be really touching.
I have taken down and noted so many passages in this book for future reference, not only for writing but for life. It's not a life-changing book, no, and nor did I want it to be, but it is a book that will encourage you to take your lens of life, dust it off, give it a clean and look at the world with more empathetic and intelligent eyes.
... 0.5 stars off because there are moments where the prose is a little slippery or an idea gets lost in the sauce. But shhhhh! forget i said that. read this book! read it for yourself!
'Fate, he said, is only truth in it's natural state.'
Not 5 minutes ago did I close the final pages of this book and I held onto those final pages for dear life. This was such a fascinating, illuminating, insightful (synonyms!) and intelligent book. The characters felt real and worldly and were always dealt with such grace, empathy and sympathy, the character descriptions alone made me feel like a better person.
It's a very philosophical read too, delving into so many elements of the human psyche and particularly fate, love and childhood. The core idea of this book which is maturity and growth is explored in so many angles, from the musings of a hairdresser to an argument over how to parent your children, to learning to love someone more once they're gone. It can be really touching.
I have taken down and noted so many passages in this book for future reference, not only for writing but for life. It's not a life-changing book, no, and nor did I want it to be, but it is a book that will encourage you to take your lens of life, dust it off, give it a clean and look at the world with more empathetic and intelligent eyes.
... 0.5 stars off because there are moments where the prose is a little slippery or an idea gets lost in the sauce. But shhhhh! forget i said that. read this book! read it for yourself!
gamle_oslo's review against another edition
Didn’t like the writing. Found my mind wandering and not being able to concentrate. Not a captivating book.
bllplank's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75