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A review by nealadolph
A Coin in Nine Hands by Marguerite Yourcenar
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
There is no doubt in my mind, after reading two books by Yourcenar, that she was an incredible author who carried a stronger understanding of human suffering in her left big toe than I have been able to pull together in all of my body. I also do not doubt that she was an exceptional artist with words; there are moments here where the words are exceptional and the writing clear and vast and beautiful and precise, but only because it is written with a commitment to poetry that belies the actual form of the writing.
But, did I love the book?
Absolutely not. And I nearly stopped reading it, if I'm honest.
Nonetheless, I'm glad I persevered. There was something beautiful in this for me, some important ideas on human limitation that I might need to have heard today more than ever. The afterword, added in by Yourcenar to explain the 1959 rewriting that the novel went through, added much to the book as a whole.
Recommended, but not before you've read something else by her - perhaps one of her two masterworks.
But, did I love the book?
Absolutely not. And I nearly stopped reading it, if I'm honest.
Nonetheless, I'm glad I persevered. There was something beautiful in this for me, some important ideas on human limitation that I might need to have heard today more than ever. The afterword, added in by Yourcenar to explain the 1959 rewriting that the novel went through, added much to the book as a whole.
Recommended, but not before you've read something else by her - perhaps one of her two masterworks.