Review by bubbelbellie - The Passion According to G.H.

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bubbelbellie 's review for:

The Passion According to G.H. by Clarice Lispector

4.0

challenging reflective slow-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A difficult book to rate. I fear that in trying to describe the plot and it's meaning I will end up further from "it", which might actually be a good summary of one of the big throughlines in this book. I enjoyed the unique use of language, the lyricism, the openness to interpretation and personalization, and the attempt at writing the unwritable. TW: drugs

Some passages reminded me of how I used to write down various "big ideas" in my notes app whenever I was high.

Reading them back, I cannot see the full picture of the idea as it gets lost into translation from thought to word, but I can feel the essence behind it. This was also how I read this book: oftentimes losing grip on the idea being conveyed to me because the language tries but ultimately isn't made for this, but still allowing the words read in partial disconnect to paint me a picture of the essence. I feel like I'm using big words to say that I didn't understand most of this book but still enjoyed it. I am left with a form of admiration for Lispector, as I cannot fully comprehend her words and thus fear and revere them. I don't understand who she had to be as a person to write this, and am therefore all the more intrigued.

Content Warnings