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simoniac 's review for:
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
I read "The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Volume 1: 1931-1934", "Henry and June", and "Incest" all at the same time, in chronological order of entries, and I am reviewing them as a single work. Hence this review and my score will be the same at all three entries on Storygraph.
Anaïs Nin is certainly a fascinating character, and her prose is sometimes attractive. Is this great literature? I am doubtful. It often feels repetitive and gossipy, and there is a quality of "NOW I've finally figured everything out!" that recurs every several entries with what feels like not a lot of self-awareness. And the writing itself is not beautiful enough to cloak or justify those defects of content. On the other hand, this reader found that it was easier to get more out of the experience by getting into a more meditative attitude when reading these books. The more I allowed myself simply to experience the entries one by one without anticipating them leading anywhere in particular or having any cumulative logic or meaning, the more I was able to let go of my frustrations with some aspects of the books and just sort of sink into it.
I can see why some people find these works, and Nin, terribly interesting, but for me, her no doubt unconventional life and perspective is not exhibited to greatest aesthetic advantage in the journals.
Anaïs Nin is certainly a fascinating character, and her prose is sometimes attractive. Is this great literature? I am doubtful. It often feels repetitive and gossipy, and there is a quality of "NOW I've finally figured everything out!" that recurs every several entries with what feels like not a lot of self-awareness. And the writing itself is not beautiful enough to cloak or justify those defects of content. On the other hand, this reader found that it was easier to get more out of the experience by getting into a more meditative attitude when reading these books. The more I allowed myself simply to experience the entries one by one without anticipating them leading anywhere in particular or having any cumulative logic or meaning, the more I was able to let go of my frustrations with some aspects of the books and just sort of sink into it.
I can see why some people find these works, and Nin, terribly interesting, but for me, her no doubt unconventional life and perspective is not exhibited to greatest aesthetic advantage in the journals.