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A review by willowklewis
Private Rites by Julia Armfield
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"How, she wondered, was one supposed to grieve an absence when that absence was familiar? What, she wondered, was grief without a clear departure to regret?"
I quite liked the other Julia Armfield book I've read, so expected to enjoy this one. That being said, this was a double surprise to me because it was not the book I expected it to be, and yet I still enjoyed it! This book moved pretty slow plot-wise--it is super duper character driven in addition to having an incredibly developed setting, but it mostly takes place in the characters heads and focuses on small, important interactions.
The writing is amazing!! I usually like when books keep themselves moving forward, but the way this is written I found myself excited to read the next sentence purely to admire the writing style, regardless of the actual plot content. I haven't read King Lear, so I am not sure if understanding that would have made me enjoy this more, but I think standalone it is a great read. I do sort of just wish this were shorter. I feel like I was left wishing I had more content about some of the main points (sorry to be vague but no spoilers!), and I think that in a shorter page count, some of the mystery left surrounding the story would feel more acceptable. I very much enjoyed regardless, and I can't wait to finish Armfield's bibliography with her short story collection next!
I quite liked the other Julia Armfield book I've read, so expected to enjoy this one. That being said, this was a double surprise to me because it was not the book I expected it to be, and yet I still enjoyed it! This book moved pretty slow plot-wise--it is super duper character driven in addition to having an incredibly developed setting, but it mostly takes place in the characters heads and focuses on small, important interactions.
The writing is amazing!! I usually like when books keep themselves moving forward, but the way this is written I found myself excited to read the next sentence purely to admire the writing style, regardless of the actual plot content. I haven't read King Lear, so I am not sure if understanding that would have made me enjoy this more, but I think standalone it is a great read. I do sort of just wish this were shorter. I feel like I was left wishing I had more content about some of the main points (sorry to be vague but no spoilers!), and I think that in a shorter page count, some of the mystery left surrounding the story would feel more acceptable. I very much enjoyed regardless, and I can't wait to finish Armfield's bibliography with her short story collection next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Minor: Eating disorder, Self harm, Alcohol