Review by serendipitysbooks - The Lesser Bohemians

serendipitysbooks 's review for:

The Lesser Bohemians by Eimear McBride

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The Lesser Bohemians is the story of an 18 year old Irish girl who moves to London to study drama and falls in love with a much older man. Both have suffered trauma in the past and carry the emotional (and in his case physical also) scars. We don't learn their names until well into the novel. When we finally do, it is at significant points in their relationship. The writing is mostly stream of consciousness and fragmentary. I found it captivating, mesmerising, incandescent, and utterly compelling. It may look confusing on the page but flows beautifully, and if you let the words wash over you, the meaning is always clear. McBride is a brilliant wordsmith - so many unexpected and unusual phrases that are utterly perfect. The style switches to more conventional prose when he finally shares his full story with her. This section is a gut-wrenching read that reminded me very much of that of A Little Life's Jude. The experimental style returns in the latter part of the novel, but a little toned down, which seemed to be a clever way of reflecting the blending of the two main characters. Trigger warnings abound in this novel, yet McBride's style meant it never felt unbearably bleak. I loved it.

Content Warnings