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A review by year23
Last Words from Montmartre by Qiu Miaojin
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a difficult book to review, especially given the circumstances of the author's state as they wrote this and what they did just a week after finishing.
The translator's post-script is helpful in providing a bit more context and insight into how Qiu changed Taiwanese culture - for the better - due to her creative works and unapologetic identity as a lesbian.
The word that kept coming to mind as I read was contradictory - and I think this is true of being in your mid-20s, particularly if you are someone who is highly sensitive, genius level creative, and feel things deeply. It's suffocating, repetitive, and at times profound, while also being extremely obsessive & lacking any amount of self-awareness. Zoe sees themselves (in the text) as god-like - no faults, knowing all, seeing all, while at the same time is the ultimate victim of the worst crimes, confused (and yet not confused) over how things have gotten to this point. There are only a few moments that peek through these reflections, hinting at what actually happened.
I'm not sure who I would recommend this too - it's an important text in terms of queer history & social movements, and for that alone I do think it's a worthwhile read.
The translator's post-script is helpful in providing a bit more context and insight into how Qiu changed Taiwanese culture - for the better - due to her creative works and unapologetic identity as a lesbian.
The word that kept coming to mind as I read was contradictory - and I think this is true of being in your mid-20s, particularly if you are someone who is highly sensitive, genius level creative, and feel things deeply. It's suffocating, repetitive, and at times profound, while also being extremely obsessive & lacking any amount of self-awareness. Zoe sees themselves (in the text) as god-like - no faults, knowing all, seeing all, while at the same time is the ultimate victim of the worst crimes, confused (and yet not confused) over how things have gotten to this point. There are only a few moments that peek through these reflections, hinting at what actually happened.
I'm not sure who I would recommend this too - it's an important text in terms of queer history & social movements, and for that alone I do think it's a worthwhile read.