You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
divasin 's review for:
Memoirs of Hadrian
by Marguerite Yourcenar
This is my first read of the very impressive, imagined autobiography of Hadrian, the famous Roman emperor.
I say, first read because I could easily sit down and have another go.
It is written in a stream of consciousness style, allowing us, the reader, to experience Hadrian's innermost thoughts.
But it never seems meandering or unfocused.
The opposite is true, it both focused and complex, moving effortlessly from factual daily life to philosophical thoughtfulness.
So much is compressed into this short novel, that it would be impossible to absorb it all at once.
One moment I found ideas difficult to comprehend and the second I was overcome with the astuteness of the author's (Hadrian's) observations.
Perhaps, that is why it has sat on my shelf for so many years, sitting, waiting for me to attain the life experience and maturity to grasp it's artistry.
I say, first read because I could easily sit down and have another go.
It is written in a stream of consciousness style, allowing us, the reader, to experience Hadrian's innermost thoughts.
But it never seems meandering or unfocused.
The opposite is true, it both focused and complex, moving effortlessly from factual daily life to philosophical thoughtfulness.
So much is compressed into this short novel, that it would be impossible to absorb it all at once.
One moment I found ideas difficult to comprehend and the second I was overcome with the astuteness of the author's (Hadrian's) observations.
Perhaps, that is why it has sat on my shelf for so many years, sitting, waiting for me to attain the life experience and maturity to grasp it's artistry.