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A review by literarycrushes
The Life of the Mind by Christine Smallwood
3.0
The Life of the Mind by Christine Smallwood is centered on the stream of consciousness-style, inner monologue of a listless, young-ish Dorothy. There is little plot to speak of- the major thread of the novel focuses on Dorothy’s miscarriage, and the resulting weeks of bleeding– but Smallwood’s quippy and concise character descriptions and little details were well worth the read. She can tell you all you need to know about a character or a place with a simple, expertly crafted sentence. The book’s best quality, in my opinion, was its commentary on human communication, and the myriad ways we communicate (or try to) just below the surface, through the things we don’t say.
I am also impressed when a novel can use modern technology as a literary tool without cheapening it. Smallwood had a lot of interesting things to say about the dangers of a life lived through the lens of social media (particularly, the peculiarities of how someone else’s happiness, when posted online, can feel like an affront to your own happiness). This book is definitely not for everyone, especially those readers who prefer a narrative-driven story. There were parts of it that I struggled with, or felt my eyes begin to glaze over with the continuous, long-winded descriptions of clumps of blood found in her underwear, but overall, I really enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing what this writer comes up with next!
I am also impressed when a novel can use modern technology as a literary tool without cheapening it. Smallwood had a lot of interesting things to say about the dangers of a life lived through the lens of social media (particularly, the peculiarities of how someone else’s happiness, when posted online, can feel like an affront to your own happiness). This book is definitely not for everyone, especially those readers who prefer a narrative-driven story. There were parts of it that I struggled with, or felt my eyes begin to glaze over with the continuous, long-winded descriptions of clumps of blood found in her underwear, but overall, I really enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing what this writer comes up with next!