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nfoutty's review against another edition
5.0
Originally written for my newsletter The Cardigan Dispatch, tinyurl.com/cardigandispatch
If we have had a conversation about literature in the past four years, I’ve probably mentioned my love of Clarice Lispector. Her Água Viva is a completely perfect, 80-page meditation on life and art. I read it for the fourth time one Saturday this month, just as a philosophical reset. I’m not going to say that it is an easy read, but it is incredibly short and one of my top-10-all-time favorite books, so I highly recommend you read it. If you’re looking for a more accessible first entry into Lispector, might I also recommend The Hour of the Star, which is also under 100 pages and does, in fact, have a plot.
If we have had a conversation about literature in the past four years, I’ve probably mentioned my love of Clarice Lispector. Her Água Viva is a completely perfect, 80-page meditation on life and art. I read it for the fourth time one Saturday this month, just as a philosophical reset. I’m not going to say that it is an easy read, but it is incredibly short and one of my top-10-all-time favorite books, so I highly recommend you read it. If you’re looking for a more accessible first entry into Lispector, might I also recommend The Hour of the Star, which is also under 100 pages and does, in fact, have a plot.
ireadb00ks's review against another edition
4.0
a letter to a son. shares themes with Chandelier. short. secrets. the instant. the “disarticulation” of birth. grace. binary opposition. limitation of form. god is irrelevant or a monster. freedom (in death?).
4 stars
4 stars
whossdead's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sarahcwalton's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
jot2301's review against another edition
It is impressive that it's a translation. It's also impressive that the author pushes the boundaries of language (translating ideas into words - bordering on philosophy, but working with words instead of forcing meaning onto them.)
BUuuttt... it just wasn't very interesting. It was meandering.
I can see it appealing to word nerds and stoners....
BUuuttt... it just wasn't very interesting. It was meandering.
I can see it appealing to word nerds and stoners....
vivianbbauer's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
4.5
One of the most challenging texts I’ve ever read. It’s really just like prose and poetry. I loved how it took me out of my head and regular patterns of thought which is what I believe is one of the most important parts of reading.