Reviews - Bajo la superficie

908 reviews for:

I don't know what happened between [b:Fen|26210520|Fen|Daisy Johnson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1469103124l/26210520._SX50_.jpg|46190777] and this, Johnson's first novel, but the genre shift from interlocking short stories to a longform narrative didn't give me a lot of joy. The whole of the novel feels like a fugue - yet while some turn this to their advantage, it's not as clear that there was enough readerly compulsion to drive forward the exhumation of everything under. Disappointing, ultimately.

carolinebl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was brilliant. I’d recommend going in blind. The writing was beautiful and I didn’t want to put it down.

The Oedipus myth is inherently disturbing but I thought that Johnson handled the topics well: it didn’t feel sensationalised.

The watery setting was atmospheric and unsettling, but its isolation was also strangely attractive.

The story’s ending was very dark but it didn’t leave me feeling heavy.

Content Warnings

gina_marris's review against another edition

3.5

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

milo10000's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is extremely fucking good. The writing is so beautiful in its movement, undulating like the river Gretel grew up on. It's Homeric, McCarthy-esque, epic in the traditional sense of the word Knowing that it's "a retelling of [a] classic myth" set me on edge looking for clues during my read, and the payoff is so worth it

ryw132's review against another edition

3.0

I did enjoy reading this book and the writing style was beautiful and evocative, however the story never really went anywhere or seemed to have a cohesive massage.

lilith89ibz's review against another edition

4.0

A twist on Sophocles, with the terror of parenthood and determinism at the very heart of it. Deeply evocative, grounded and poignant.

neonflea555's review against another edition

2.0

Still not quite sure how I feel about this. I think I liked the story and how everything kinda sorta come together and I kind of liked the characters but not really? There were a few amazing sentences in the book that I wanted to highlight and write down and I liked certain aspects of the book but it just wasn't my favorite. I feel like the last 50 pages turned it into a three-star rather than a two-star. Maybe I'll reread it in the future and see if anything changes.