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A review by gregzimmerman
My Struggle, Book 2: A Man in Love by Karl Ove Knausgård
4.0
Between finishing the first book in this series, and finishing the second, I've talked with several other readers who have read, or tried to read, these books. The reactions were all over the map -- "I loved them," "I tried but couldn't do it," "I hated them."
I think whether or not you are able to read and enjoy these books depends in large part on your tolerance for navel-gazing. In this book, small mundane events and thoughts (the first 50 or so pages are about a kid's birthday party) are juxtaposed with pages-length explorations of big important ideas.
And that's kind of why I liked it. If you're bored, turn the page, and odds are you'll be onto something new and much more interesting. Yes, even less so than the first book, this second book contains no real, discernible story. We just wander with Knausgaard's mind, jumping in time and topic frequently. Sure, there are themes: Love, family, family vs art, the purpose of art, the purpose of friendship, etc. But overall, if you're looking for a coherent plot, this ain't your read. However, if you're looking for a smart (though sometimes detestable) human exploring smart (and sometimes detestable) thoughts, you'll dig this too.
I think whether or not you are able to read and enjoy these books depends in large part on your tolerance for navel-gazing. In this book, small mundane events and thoughts (the first 50 or so pages are about a kid's birthday party) are juxtaposed with pages-length explorations of big important ideas.
And that's kind of why I liked it. If you're bored, turn the page, and odds are you'll be onto something new and much more interesting. Yes, even less so than the first book, this second book contains no real, discernible story. We just wander with Knausgaard's mind, jumping in time and topic frequently. Sure, there are themes: Love, family, family vs art, the purpose of art, the purpose of friendship, etc. But overall, if you're looking for a coherent plot, this ain't your read. However, if you're looking for a smart (though sometimes detestable) human exploring smart (and sometimes detestable) thoughts, you'll dig this too.