booksillremember 's review for:

The Door by Magda Szabó

2.5

dark 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

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I appreciate the complexity of Emerence's character and the courage it takes to write such deeply traumatised, flawed and unlikeable female characters. Unfortunately, getting through this novel was a chore. Especially the first half is full of repetition. Both the narrator and Emerence are constantly enraged. Rage, pettiness and temper tantrums seem the default reaction to any little thing. Everyone in this novel has the emotional self-regulation and communication skills of a toddler. Except they are adults, so their 'toxic love' is somehow a combination of heroic acts of kindness spiced with constant emotional, verbal and animal abuse. This novel spans 20 years, nobody seems to grow an inch. I don't need all my characters to be likeable, I actually like cantankerous old characters, but it was a bit much. Would have DNFed if it hadn't been for a book club.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty