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A review by fantine
The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff
5.0
'The actors assembled, the summer begins.'
A summer which finds our narrator, an ungendered, unnamed eldest of four thrown headfirst into lies, lust and lunacy. A summer that clearly marks a beginning as much as an end.
'When people express nostalgia for youth, I always suspect they have inadequate recall'
This novel was a perfect exercise in holding back. Narrated with a youthful earnestness that appears ambivalent at surface level but reveals hidden depths that illicit a sharp nostalgic heartache that feels unique to coming of age stories. Its simplicity is bittersweet, and I am impressed by just how clear the image of each cast member is considering both the number of pages and characters.
The genderlessness of our protagonist was fascinating. Reading this book, and then thinking back on it feels like an immersive reflection of oneself. I found myself at different points assigning a gender, or none at all and then questioning myself on how and why this changes my perception of events.
The closest comparison I can give within the same genre and style would be David Levithan’s innovative [b:Every Day|13262783|Every Day (Every Day, #1)|David Levithan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356993940l/13262783._SY75_.jpg|18464379] which introduced my tween self to the concept of fluidity, and had a profound influence on my perspective of gender and sexuality.
'Was this just what relationships were like these days? Whatever you felt like with whoever was there?'
As much as I wish we could, we do not live in a beautiful genderless utopia - but a beach house during a hot summer when reality seems momentarily suspended, where skin and salt fuse together and nature seems so powerful it becomes almost unnatural was a profoundly beautiful and fitting setting. The environment was alive and electric just as much as the humans (and basset hound Gomez).
'Not for the first time I wondered about the perverted value of the human race, how beauty trumps nearly everything. Including goodness, money, and talent. On its own of course. It’s useless. A wasting asset. And very possibly ruinous for the owner as well. Even the Mona Lisa must get tired of being stared at.'
Though contemporary it had a wistful, timeless quality characteristic of a literary classic. This was a stunning lil novella that had me so captivated I read in one sitting, which is impressive considering my gooey isolation brain. Highly recommend!!
A summer which finds our narrator, an ungendered, unnamed eldest of four thrown headfirst into lies, lust and lunacy. A summer that clearly marks a beginning as much as an end.
'When people express nostalgia for youth, I always suspect they have inadequate recall'
This novel was a perfect exercise in holding back. Narrated with a youthful earnestness that appears ambivalent at surface level but reveals hidden depths that illicit a sharp nostalgic heartache that feels unique to coming of age stories. Its simplicity is bittersweet, and I am impressed by just how clear the image of each cast member is considering both the number of pages and characters.
The genderlessness of our protagonist was fascinating. Reading this book, and then thinking back on it feels like an immersive reflection of oneself. I found myself at different points assigning a gender, or none at all and then questioning myself on how and why this changes my perception of events.
The closest comparison I can give within the same genre and style would be David Levithan’s innovative [b:Every Day|13262783|Every Day (Every Day, #1)|David Levithan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356993940l/13262783._SY75_.jpg|18464379] which introduced my tween self to the concept of fluidity, and had a profound influence on my perspective of gender and sexuality.
'Was this just what relationships were like these days? Whatever you felt like with whoever was there?'
As much as I wish we could, we do not live in a beautiful genderless utopia - but a beach house during a hot summer when reality seems momentarily suspended, where skin and salt fuse together and nature seems so powerful it becomes almost unnatural was a profoundly beautiful and fitting setting. The environment was alive and electric just as much as the humans (and basset hound Gomez).
'Not for the first time I wondered about the perverted value of the human race, how beauty trumps nearly everything. Including goodness, money, and talent. On its own of course. It’s useless. A wasting asset. And very possibly ruinous for the owner as well. Even the Mona Lisa must get tired of being stared at.'
Though contemporary it had a wistful, timeless quality characteristic of a literary classic. This was a stunning lil novella that had me so captivated I read in one sitting, which is impressive considering my gooey isolation brain. Highly recommend!!