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A review by daphnesayshi
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
4.0
I love the simple lyricism of Maggie Nelson's words, the beauty in her prose that doesn't sound at all like she's trying too hard to do so. I enjoyed having the words wash over me, its simplicity belieing the depth of what she was trying to tell us. Sometimes they strike a chord in me, and I feel the wave of identification surge through me; sometimes her musings, such as the ones revolving around childbirth and children are alien, but not altogether uncomfortable.
But as I got through the book, I realised that I wasn't reading it through Nelson's perspective as a new mother, but instead, felt like I was given privileged insight into a mother's thoughts and... it has made me think about the relationship with my mother. As anyone who knows me well enough understands, my relationship with my mother is the source of my biggest trauma but is also my greatest anchor and driver in life – it hasn't been an easy ride, and it's something that I'm still trying to wrap my head around and get past, but I daresay this book helps, if only a little.
Reading Nelson is best when you let her words wash over you, when you don't worry too much as to how much of it sticks or stays, or if you'd lose track of her sentiments or fail to grasp at the point(s) she's trying to make because Nelson herself plays loose with narrative coherence, jumping from topic to topic at the blink of an eye. Sure, it's all interrelated and revolving around her status as mom, and partner, but if you fixate on structure, then you're going to miss out on the flowy nature of her prose, which is a highlight in itself.
But as I got through the book, I realised that I wasn't reading it through Nelson's perspective as a new mother, but instead, felt like I was given privileged insight into a mother's thoughts and... it has made me think about the relationship with my mother. As anyone who knows me well enough understands, my relationship with my mother is the source of my biggest trauma but is also my greatest anchor and driver in life – it hasn't been an easy ride, and it's something that I'm still trying to wrap my head around and get past, but I daresay this book helps, if only a little.
Reading Nelson is best when you let her words wash over you, when you don't worry too much as to how much of it sticks or stays, or if you'd lose track of her sentiments or fail to grasp at the point(s) she's trying to make because Nelson herself plays loose with narrative coherence, jumping from topic to topic at the blink of an eye. Sure, it's all interrelated and revolving around her status as mom, and partner, but if you fixate on structure, then you're going to miss out on the flowy nature of her prose, which is a highlight in itself.