A review by pema66
Unless by Carol Shields

1.0

I disliked this book intently. I started reading it as it was recommended by Mariella Frostrup who knows a thing or two about literature. It had flashes of brilliant writing, the odd sentence and turn of phrase was dazzling, which is why i broke my resolve to never finish a book which i cannot get into again. Ultimately the story did not flow,it was disjointed and contrived, and there is nothing more boring than a writer writing about writing. I cannot see what purpose was served by Shields the writer having Reta the writer also creating a character in a novel, it was just a distraction, and dull to boot.The Danielle Westerman translation added a little something in that it was an obvious device to contrast different philosophies on life from the older generation and Europe, but again, never sat comfortably within the body of this novel. I was desperate to understand Reta and Norah but the author did not do me the courtesy of any meaningful insight.I have never been so pleased to finish a book. Not for me.