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achillesheeled's review
2.0
The red world And corresponding red breezes Went on Geryon did not
2.5
some parts of this i liked very very much but mostly it didnt affect me at all
2.5
some parts of this i liked very very much but mostly it didnt affect me at all
gloconno's review
dazzling
unlike anything I've ever read, really! takes place in a world entirely its own. not to mention how it sets itself up with the bits about stesichorus, in and out of reality, history, time, literature.
from that intro:
adjectives as the "latches of being" and stesichoros as "undo[ing] the latches": "Stesichoros released being. All the substances in the world went floating up." (also: "'Consumption is not a passion for substances but a passion for the code' says Baudrillard.")
"the fragments of the Geryoneis itself read as if Stesichoros had composed a substantial narrative poem then ripped it to pieces and buried the pieces in a box with some song lyrics and lecture notes and scraps of meat. The fragment numbers tell you roughly how the pieces fell out of the box. You can of course keep shaking the box. 'Believe me for meat and for myself,' as Gertrude Stein says. Here. Shake."
also:
the reticent volcano, the photographs, the ways in which things get revealed.
"Geryon kept the camera in his hand and spoke little. I am disappearing, he thought but the photographs were worth it. A volcano is not a mountain like others. Raising a camera to one's face has effects no one can calculate in advance."
the volcano in a wall, the flashes in which a man possesses himself: "We are amazing beings, Geryon is thinking. We are neighbors of fire. And now time is rushing towards them where they stand side by side with arms touching, immortality on their faces, night at their back."
unlike anything I've ever read, really! takes place in a world entirely its own. not to mention how it sets itself up with the bits about stesichorus, in and out of reality, history, time, literature.
from that intro:
adjectives as the "latches of being" and stesichoros as "undo[ing] the latches": "Stesichoros released being. All the substances in the world went floating up." (also: "'Consumption is not a passion for substances but a passion for the code' says Baudrillard.")
"the fragments of the Geryoneis itself read as if Stesichoros had composed a substantial narrative poem then ripped it to pieces and buried the pieces in a box with some song lyrics and lecture notes and scraps of meat. The fragment numbers tell you roughly how the pieces fell out of the box. You can of course keep shaking the box. 'Believe me for meat and for myself,' as Gertrude Stein says. Here. Shake."
also:
the reticent volcano, the photographs, the ways in which things get revealed.
"Geryon kept the camera in his hand and spoke little. I am disappearing, he thought but the photographs were worth it. A volcano is not a mountain like others. Raising a camera to one's face has effects no one can calculate in advance."
the volcano in a wall, the flashes in which a man possesses himself: "We are amazing beings, Geryon is thinking. We are neighbors of fire. And now time is rushing towards them where they stand side by side with arms touching, immortality on their faces, night at their back."
issyhallll's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
arvaive's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
meganb392b0's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Need to reread to fully appreciate. I feel like I only scratched the surface. Note: get physical book to reread not digital.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
moonspluvia's review
I decided pretty early into the book I wouldn’t be rating it. I’m not really sure if I can. I found this book while looking for books that are similar to Ethel Cain’s album ‘Preacher’s Daughter’ and oh boy… it sure is. Anne Carson reimagined the Greek monster Geryon into a man who we meet as a boy, going through what a boy should never go though. We follow him through the decades in fragmented stages, watching him go about his complicated life, thinking about love and time and immortality as he travels far from home (if there ever was one). He goes through horrific abuse, degrading love, life altering epiphanies: it’s very reminiscent of Ethel’s journey. Can you tell I’m grasping for words? I think this would’ve been a better experience if I read it physically, and was able to make notes while I read. To be quite honest, this book went over my head but also not really. I saw the symbolism and the meaning of it all but it hardly matters to me, and it makes me angry. I just felt a little stupid reading this, wanting to connect to it but couldn’t for whatever reason. I was looking at the page numbers almost every minute wanting to finish. I say all this, but there’s another side to it. The writing was absolutely beautiful and heart wrenching. As for the character of Geryon- I related to him in many ways. His personality is similar to mine and I was able to connect with him and his many thoughts. So yeah, I can’t really rate this because I really don’t know how to. Geryon and the writing left a big impact on me, but the overall story was something I couldn’t connect to. I’ll probably read this again physically, and take my time with the text. Also Herakles is a douche.
Oh well. I’m gonna go listen to Strangers by Ethel Cain on repeat (a very Geryon song btw)
Oh well. I’m gonna go listen to Strangers by Ethel Cain on repeat (a very Geryon song btw)
boucan's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
imrereads's review against another edition
3.0
I think if you ask me what this is about, I won't really be able to tell you. Sometimes I really enjoyed the style, felt blown away by certain passages, and other times I just felt confused.
msprufrock's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest and Sexual assault