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kvokolek's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Drug use
romeri's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
stephen_reads's review against another edition
fast-paced
2.0
Unpleasantly vulgar, unexpectedly racist, and randomly (suddenly) ableist.
Why has everyone been recommending this book as the pinnacle of creative non-fiction?
It even reminded me that I could be reading a much better book that aimed to accomplish a similar goal (Derek Jarman’s ‘Chroma’).
Not a 1 star simply because the language was gripping enough to keep me reading, but otherwise this was such a miss.
Why has everyone been recommending this book as the pinnacle of creative non-fiction?
It even reminded me that I could be reading a much better book that aimed to accomplish a similar goal (Derek Jarman’s ‘Chroma’).
Not a 1 star simply because the language was gripping enough to keep me reading, but otherwise this was such a miss.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Suicide, Medical trauma, and Grief
Minor: Ableism
sirhe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.75
This is an interesting collection of mini essays that take a poetic shape. Not only is Maggie Nelson talking about blue objects and blue things in American pop culture, but she is also inserting herself into these reflection as someone who is experiencing blues and needs help overcoming them.
Unfortunately, all of the references make the reading tideous for people who weren't born in the 70's or are not as familiar with Americana. Prepare to do a lot of Googling and maybe a second read to absorb all of the information.
Mostly, Nelson makes connections between herself and Joni Mitchell. There is also mention of Leonard Cohen, but no references to any blues artists or legends. Nelson also depends on a lot of quotes from other writers, mostly from Goethe and Ralph Waldo Emerson. These are usually enjambed into the essays or are presented as fragment, without any connective tissue.
As a person that hates blue, this book did not convert me, but I do appreciate the color a bit more now. Some of the most beautiful passages highlight how blue is a representation of the divine darkness and the ones about the Blue Satin Bowerbird show that the appreciation of blue extends into the the animal kingdom.
For Nelson, Blue is hope, isolation, wonder, introspection, death, desire, heartbreak, healing, strength, power, and an aphrodisiac. It is as part of her life like a tattoo, she wears it on her soul.
Overall, this book is not blue enough for me, literally, the publisher missed the opportunity to make the text blue.
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ This book might give you the blues and possibly Werther Fever.
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ Don't read this if your favorite color is green, Nelson despises green and spends a few pages ranting about it...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
sjoshyreads's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicide
kers_tin's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, and Chronic illness
Minor: Suicide and Ableism
khmarie's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
2.0
About 10 or 11 beautifully heartbreaking quotes sprinkled throughout a collection of very dull, egotistical writing. This was hard to get through.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism and Suicide
penofpossibilities's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
“but I can say this: in watching her, sitting with her, helping her, weeping with her, touching her, and talking with her, I have seen the bright pith of her soul. I cannot tell you what it looks like, but I can say that I have seen it."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Animal death, Sexual content, and Misogyny
Moderate: Suicide and Grief
Minor: Ableism
laetitiacaz's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.0
Has to be read twice I think to be able to fully comprehend
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
laraamaee's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.25
'The half-circle of blinding turquoise ocean is this love's primal scene. That this blue exists makes my life a remarkable one, just to have seen it. To have seen such beautiful things. To find oneself placed in their midst. Choiceless.'
As an eighteenth birthday gift, my friend bought me Bluets from the famous Shakespeare and Company in Paris. For this reason, and for my own lifelong, intrinsic connection to the colour blue, Bluets is extremely precious to me. (Although, apparently, according to Nelson, half of American adults also describe blue as their favourite colour. As a British just-turned-adult, can I count myself out?) Well, actually, Bluets stayed on my bookshelf for several months until I got a chance to read it, despite its short length, because I knew that it would shake me to my core. I mean, my poet friend must have gifted it to me for a reason.
So yes, maybe I came in with the preconceived notion that I would like this book. But I was indeed proved right. Nelson's series of 240 intertwining prose poems about heartbreak, sex, caring for her friend with quadriplegia, and of course, the colour blue, were so succinct yet sharp. 'Saturated', perhaps, with both the intense calm and reassurance of a blue ocean, but also the deep, dark blue of loneliness and depression.
This is my first time reading Nelson, and what I thoroughly enjoyed was her honesty and self-assured style of writing. Many moments in the book struck me, made me put it down and reflect or just sit in awe, as good poetry usually does. However, what I wasn't expecting was so many references to other people, mainly philosophers. Often, Nelson quotes these people and uses them to somewhat loosely tie them into her arguments/considerations. Like, I'm sorry, but after studying Literary Theories at uni, I don't necessarily want to bump into Jacques Derrida when I don't have to. But maybe this is a me thing.
I would recommend this mostly to people who are going through a hard time, especially a breakup. I think it would resonate with them most. (And also fellow blue lovers.)
As an eighteenth birthday gift, my friend bought me Bluets from the famous Shakespeare and Company in Paris. For this reason, and for my own lifelong, intrinsic connection to the colour blue, Bluets is extremely precious to me. (Although, apparently, according to Nelson, half of American adults also describe blue as their favourite colour. As a British just-turned-adult, can I count myself out?) Well, actually, Bluets stayed on my bookshelf for several months until I got a chance to read it, despite its short length, because I knew that it would shake me to my core. I mean, my poet friend must have gifted it to me for a reason.
So yes, maybe I came in with the preconceived notion that I would like this book. But I was indeed proved right. Nelson's series of 240 intertwining prose poems about heartbreak, sex, caring for her friend with quadriplegia, and of course, the colour blue, were so succinct yet sharp. 'Saturated', perhaps, with both the intense calm and reassurance of a blue ocean, but also the deep, dark blue of loneliness and depression.
This is my first time reading Nelson, and what I thoroughly enjoyed was her honesty and self-assured style of writing. Many moments in the book struck me, made me put it down and reflect or just sit in awe, as good poetry usually does. However, what I wasn't expecting was so many references to other people, mainly philosophers. Often, Nelson quotes these people and uses them to somewhat loosely tie them into her arguments/considerations. Like, I'm sorry, but after studying Literary Theories at uni, I don't necessarily want to bump into Jacques Derrida when I don't have to. But maybe this is a me thing.
I would recommend this mostly to people who are going through a hard time, especially a breakup. I think it would resonate with them most. (And also fellow blue lovers.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Minor: Blood