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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
more biting, but ultimately less destructive than The Loser.
Bernhard is on his way to becoming one of my absolute favorite authors though.
Bernhard is on his way to becoming one of my absolute favorite authors though.
funny
reflective
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
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pretty sure the point of this book went over my head. Anyways - I bought this book in Vienna because.. well because I was in Vienna and wanted to live that *artistic life* and INSTEAD I was bored out of my mind. Well not the entire time. I think if this book had been 50 pages, a novella rather than a novel, it would have been better BECAUSE the author repeats himself over. And over. And over. And I think this is a stylistic choice but I have no idea why; I have been racking my brains and all I could come up with was maybe it’s symbolic for the monotony of the characters’ lives and how neither them nor the city has changed in 30 years? Maybe? I feel like I could benefit from discussing this book with someone. I often found myself zoning out on pages and I didn’t even need to reread them because most of the writing repeats itself so it doesn’t matter if you miss bits out. That’s what I mean by it could have been 50 pages. It kind of reminds me of The Iliad in this way, although there is a clear reason The Iliad repeats itself so much. It also reminded me of Victor Hugo’s ‘A Bird’s Eye View’ chapter in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame which is NOTORIOUS for being repetitive, and (sorry Hugo!) boring.
Part of what kept me going was the part of the blurb which says “..when the star finally arrives, he ushers in an explosive end to the evening that is impossible to foresee.” What a gripping line! I think I bought this book solely because of that line… but the ending? Impossible to see? Impossible to foresee maybe if you’re an idiot. I’m sorry but I was barely paying attention to this book and saw this coming! I was expecting much more than just a bit of a rant by the actor towards Jeannie at the end.
I just think I don’t connect with or understand this book. It’s a very specific Baroque style of writing that also doesn’t really please me as a reader. HOWEVER, I think I can understand why it’s seen as a classic and why Bernhard is so revered. Just not for me. Would I read more by Bernhard? I don’t know. Probably not- definitely not soon. But who knows- I may become an absolute Bernhard fangirl when I’m older and condemn this silly review I wrote when I was 19.
Part of what kept me going was the part of the blurb which says “..when the star finally arrives, he ushers in an explosive end to the evening that is impossible to foresee.” What a gripping line! I think I bought this book solely because of that line… but the ending? Impossible to see? Impossible to foresee maybe if you’re an idiot. I’m sorry but I was barely paying attention to this book and saw this coming! I was expecting much more than just
I just think I don’t connect with or understand this book. It’s a very specific Baroque style of writing that also doesn’t really please me as a reader. HOWEVER, I think I can understand why it’s seen as a classic and why Bernhard is so revered. Just not for me. Would I read more by Bernhard? I don’t know. Probably not- definitely not soon. But who knows- I may become an absolute Bernhard fangirl when I’m older and condemn this silly review I wrote when I was 19.
challenging
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thomas Bernhard has become one of my favourite authors, fab.