A review by marijnboomars
Elizabeth Costello by J.M. Coetzee

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I do not think that the author intended to publish this collection of short stories as one and this was noticeable. Especially, the last letter was very confusing and it cannot be called anything else than random. It would have been better if the author did not pretend that the Elizabeth Castello was the main character of all the short stories, as her conduct does not seem to match in the various stories. I really enjoyed some stories, such as the one about Elizabeth and her sister and the one about Elizabeth's talk in Amsterdam, as I found the reflections in these stories intriguing and thought-provoking. However, the story about animal rights was vague and nonsensical. I am a vegetarian myself, so I do care about the well-being of animals, but it seemed as if no point was made in the story. The writing style was enjoyable. I cannot say that I recommend the novel as a whole, but particular stories are definitely worth a read.