annathebooksiread's reviews
39 reviews

The Invention of Charlotte Bronte by Graham Watson

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adventurous informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

A Double Life by Karolina Pavlova

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funny inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

REVIEW
A Double Life by Karolina Pavlova trans. Barbara Heldt

A Double Life by Karolina Pavlova is an exploration of societal constraints and personal liberation through the medium of prose and poetry. As is always the case with Russian literature, it’s the way in which its writers place a lens on the human condition in such a profound way through observation that I find almost addictive to read. You sense that through their fictional writing a sense of truth that can only come from lived experience exists. This is certainly true with Pavlova.

Karolina Pavlova is an intriguing woman and I now include her in my dream literary dinner party. Born into a noble Russian family in the early 19th century, she like some of the protagonists in her book was well-acquainted with the societal constraints and expectations placed upon women of her time. It feels so unjust that throughout her life, she was so often criticised for being a woman who wrote. The injustice here feels so aggravating and yet we should high-five Columbia University Press and Barbara Heldt for bringing it back on all of our radars because it would be a travesty to have this hidden away forevermore.

Undoubtedly, Pavlova’s frustrations influenced her decision to focus this story on women’s roles within society and their quest for intellectual fulfilment. It sounds heavy but her humour shines throughout and I found myself chuckling away at certain points; particularly in the way in which the aristocratic families interacted with one another and it reminded me very much of Austen in a way.

In a world in which critics were predominantly male, their view was heavily influenced by the way in which socialisation had taught them about appropriate gender roles. Pavlova had barriers to expressing her genius due to these predetermined social codes but she never gave up. She knew she had talent and I love to imagine her sitting at her writing desk, defying opinion and criticism by putting words on a page that thank goodness continue to have a lasting impression even now. I think they were scared witless and in reading some of their critiques it is glaringly obvious that that was very much the case.

1/2

Clear by Carys Davies

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adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced