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spiralnode 's review for:
Doppelgänger
by Daša Drndić
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Daša Drndić has a very original, unedited, raw, way of writing. She has a way of opening the reader to the interpretation of the mundane, from toilet needs to pieces of chocolate spread around an entire apartment. Her sentences are short and snappy, and with a topic that reflects on loneliness, it makes sense that she would pick a style that is perhaps irritating and in your face.
This book is split into a short story and a novella, 'Arthur and Isabella' and 'Pupi'. You will find the connection between them as you carry on reading. They are each about older people who live in an isolated way, their habits, how they got here, and how this is affecting them.
I personally much preferred 'Arthur and Isabella' to 'Pupi'. Detail is mixed with the big picture in both of them, and in 'Pupi' I thought this was borderline too much. They are both stories that traverse history, personal life, old age and loneliness. Both set in former Yugoslavia, that speak about the condition of the new countries, briefly WW2, but I'd say they are more about personal aspects than wide contexts.
I really enjoyed the in your face writing, the honesty and not shying away of discussing everything. And if you want excellent descriptions of eating chocolate and hat collections, oh my is this good. I was craving chocolate throughout those pages and it had almost a meditative aspect to it. Definitely the most evocative and delicious chocolate descriptions I've ever heard!
Loneliness and old age I find are topics that are not paired as much in literature. Most protagonists tend to be young, and if they are older they are either surrounded by family or have a strong connection with one other person. Here we observe people who are either desperately trying to find someone who will give them this connection, or people who give themselves without expecting anything in return. Learning to live with oneself and the habits and image of self one develops is also fascinating.
A book about the extrinsic and intrinsic in loneliness - a very well done portrait.
This book is split into a short story and a novella, 'Arthur and Isabella' and 'Pupi'. You will find the connection between them as you carry on reading. They are each about older people who live in an isolated way, their habits, how they got here, and how this is affecting them.
I personally much preferred 'Arthur and Isabella' to 'Pupi'. Detail is mixed with the big picture in both of them, and in 'Pupi' I thought this was borderline too much. They are both stories that traverse history, personal life, old age and loneliness. Both set in former Yugoslavia, that speak about the condition of the new countries, briefly WW2, but I'd say they are more about personal aspects than wide contexts.
I really enjoyed the in your face writing, the honesty and not shying away of discussing everything. And if you want excellent descriptions of eating chocolate and hat collections, oh my is this good. I was craving chocolate throughout those pages and it had almost a meditative aspect to it. Definitely the most evocative and delicious chocolate descriptions I've ever heard!
Loneliness and old age I find are topics that are not paired as much in literature. Most protagonists tend to be young, and if they are older they are either surrounded by family or have a strong connection with one other person. Here we observe people who are either desperately trying to find someone who will give them this connection, or people who give themselves without expecting anything in return. Learning to live with oneself and the habits and image of self one develops is also fascinating.
A book about the extrinsic and intrinsic in loneliness - a very well done portrait.