Reviews

Schuilplaats voor andere tijden by Georgi Gospodinov

bethniamh's review against another edition

“Suddenly it all made sense - her eternal morning questions of whether they had found her mother or whether her brothers were alive. We also understood why she squirreled away crusts of bread and other leftovers from the cafeteria, hiding them in her cupboard. Everything that awakened that memory had to be avoided-showers, the clicking of the nurses' high heels in the hallway. (We switched them out with soft slippers.) The daytime lighting was softened. Part of the cafeteria was divided into smaller, cozy booths, so as to avoid large common areas and the rattling of silverware. Unwittingly you realize how many things in a clinic are potentially charged with hidden violence, as Foucault would say. 

Nothing would ever be innocent again-bathrooms, cafeterias, the gas stove, a doctor in a white coat who wants to give you a shot, the lighting, the barking of dogs outside, the sharp voice, certain German words...”

“I would start my first novel, so I would have somewhere to go home to when I was going crazy”

aoife_b's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

pianoman543's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

elisascrive's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Leggevo la sezione centrale e mi dicevo che forse avevo sbagliato libro, che forse non era experimental enough, che non so niente della Bulgaria e della sua storia — delle sue storie, dei suoi passati (anche se, come direbbe G. (G.) il passato non ha plurali) dei suoi turmoil politici — e che in realtà nemmeno mi interessava più di tanto scoprirli ora, con la voce di un cinquantenne scappato a Zurigo e con la sindrome di non appartenenza. 

Poi ho iniziato “Mostri Discreti” e ho capito che invece sì, era necessario che prima io sentissi del Soc e degli Eroi, delle bandiere portate dai droni e di Dimbe. Di K., delle persecuzioni e del referendum.

Di tutto quello che G.G. ha dimenticato, per essere la custode del taccuino giallo quando le lettere si scioglieranno è tutto sarà come la stringa che chiude il romanzo. Segni senz’ordine sul foglio.

Le mancate cinque stelle perché, nonostante la necessità, in qualche punto nelle cento pagine di mezzo mi è mancato, G. Un’anima che pervade tutto il romanzo ma che sparisce

(come d’altronde sparisce il personaggio stesso)

nel momento in cui avevo bisogno del suo dialogo schietto e vaneggiante, delle sue annotazioni e le sue ricerche. 

D’altro canto però nemmeno io posso definirmi cittadina del tempo, dunque seppur per poco, ho trovato casa in questo Cronorifugio. 

the_first_chapter's review against another edition

challenging reflective

3.0

This was a tough read for me. I really liked the premise of the plot but it just seemed like a struggle for me to get through the book. There was a lot of European history that I couldn't quite understand and so I was continually losing the plot. I do think it had some nice one-liners and in general was well written but I just wish it would have been a bit more easy to follow.

pinknblue's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

4.25

bookworm_42's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

lisa15's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

tarrowood's review against another edition

5.0

The international Booker prize winner was a phenomenal read that dove into the idea of the past and how the past contains multitudes; the parts we remember and the parts we forget; the past we cherish and feel nostalgia towards, and the erased, fearful past. The exploration of the main character(s) is a creative extension of the theme’s connection with memory. Tons of references/influences to the Odyssey and Borges which was cool.
There was one section of this book that tilted between necessary and superfluous, but in the end I feel like I understand the projection of that part of the novel. I will likely come back to this one in later years to further explore this one

haleyflan's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5