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jcwills11's review
1.0
I wanted to like this book, I really did. If you told me you had a book featuring an identity crisis and an ontological/epistemological/metaphysical mystery, and that much of the action takes place in Argentina, I would assume that book was destined for my own personal pantheon of favorites.
But Galchen's characters have no depth; only the narrator (Leo) gets any semblance of a personality, and that is of the annoying, possibly delusional analyst. The settings are white-washed; no matter how many times Leo visits a cafe, you have no idea what it looks like. I have no objection to sparse writing - consider me a fan of Hemingway, McCarthy and so forth - but there is nothing in Galchen's world for the reader to hold on to. As it is the book slides by like so much idle chatter.
But Galchen's characters have no depth; only the narrator (Leo) gets any semblance of a personality, and that is of the annoying, possibly delusional analyst. The settings are white-washed; no matter how many times Leo visits a cafe, you have no idea what it looks like. I have no objection to sparse writing - consider me a fan of Hemingway, McCarthy and so forth - but there is nothing in Galchen's world for the reader to hold on to. As it is the book slides by like so much idle chatter.
librariandest's review
3.0
I think I would've liked this book a lot more if someone had told me to read it in terms of love. I think I was reading it as more of a mystery, waiting for a super twist that would put everything in its place.
Still, it's an interesting book. Galchen is a clever writer and there were many individual sentences and paragraphs that I just loved for the way they twisted logic and convention. This book, to me, is kind of about rational insanity. And I've said it before, but I'll say it again: THINKY DEATH!
As for the shelf I put it on, it's not really magical realism at all, but I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to follow characters who see the world in a skewed way, or, you know, characters who inhabit a slightly skewed world. Also maybe psychology majors.
Still, it's an interesting book. Galchen is a clever writer and there were many individual sentences and paragraphs that I just loved for the way they twisted logic and convention. This book, to me, is kind of about rational insanity. And I've said it before, but I'll say it again: THINKY DEATH!
As for the shelf I put it on, it's not really magical realism at all, but I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to follow characters who see the world in a skewed way, or, you know, characters who inhabit a slightly skewed world. Also maybe psychology majors.
rhaines46's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
f the haters I thought this was really, really well done. Funny, and sad, and fun to read. I could read it again immediately.
thefoxae's review
2.0
Some of it was clever, but mostly it was just not my type of book. Overly philosophical to the point of, well, missing the point. I thought Rema was an emotional masochist and Leo was an abusive, negligent, leeringly creepy twat.
berlinda52's review
4.0
This was a very strange and intriguing book - thanks, Jess, for pointing it out! I really liked it - still not sure what it all meant.......but that's okay!
ellie_klemm's review
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0