Reviews

Optic Nerve by María Gainza

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paginasmarcadas's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

Realmente me encantó. Si bien esperaba algo más tradicionalmente novelizado, la forma de narrar y las voces de María Gaínza me atraparon completamente y disfruté muchísimo su novelización de personajes del arte (incluyendo las googleadas de por medio).
Si prosa es poética y evocativa, sin caer en giros demasiado rebuscados, para un libro cuya narradora principal se autodefine como snob reiteradas veces, lo encontré muy accesible (o tal vez yo soy tan snob como ella)

Content Warnings

msilkwolfe's review

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4.0

This was more literary than I was expecting (my own ignorance!) but I really enjoyed it. It was really unique, with each chapter simultaneously about our narrator and also a famous artist. The book isn’t very long, but I wonder how it would change if it was even shorter. I suppose we would lose some of the narrator as a character? This would be an interesting one to discuss with others.

dancinrio's review against another edition

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4.0

Baffling is the best word I can use to describe this book. Other reviews mention it’s experimental nature and unconventional narrative, generally I just felt a bit lost and as though I wasn’t fully manage to follow along. And yet, I found myself floored by the genius of some passages, wanting to highlight whole sections as being insightful and gorgeously written.

3.5 stars rounded up.

pennylane1986's review against another edition

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4.0

Se trata de un libro al que es difícil encasillar en un género; no es un libro de memorias, al menos no del todo. Tampoco es todo biografías de pintores, ni análisis de sus obras, aunque sí un poco. Tampoco es ficción, aunque no todo lo escrito puede ser real.
Es una especie de libro de reflexiones sobre la comunión entre la autora y sus pinturas favoritas o sus autores. Las historias de esas pinturas en paralelo con su historia de vida.
Hermoso.