Reviews

Red Doc> by Anne Carson

besuitedfool's review against another edition

funny mysterious reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

4.75

hiitsmecassie's review against another edition

4.0

anne carson my beloved shes honestly the best

vaddia99's review against another edition

4.0

Before starting this book I has read roughly 1/3rd to 1/2 of An Autobiography of Red, so I had the experience of being very confident that I knew what was happening in the 1st 3rd, very lost in the 2nd 3rd and once again found understanding in the last leg of the journey. Which in itself is somewhat profound in its mirror of life.

This is one hundred percent a bias review due to the fact that I adore Carson's work. There is something so beautiful and profound to me about reimagining classics through the lens of modern tragic rural life while keeping close to myth's original formats.

As a queer classicist that lives in the rural midwest reading An Autobiography of Red and the Red Docs always conjures images of my grandfather's house in the boonies with his hording problem, chickens, car graveyard and military regalia or of my Great-Grandparents farm with its creeks, fields and comfortable but aged house. These books bring a level of humanity and connection to myth that I didn't ever realize I needed until I read it. Seeing my home in the scenery and myself in the characters is something so beautiful and connecting when applied to ageless media like mythology.

Books like these feel too much like home. Which is the reason it recieved a 4 star. Carson's work is beautiful and illicits so many strong emotions from me but this one has the misfortune of being a reflection of a life I see and live often which takes the shine out of it. It was simply a good read to me, nothing more, nothing less.

maryftay's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

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

2.5

barnaclethereal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I liked it, it's hard not to compare it to Autobiography of Red, which I preferred. It's good but it wasn't as odd to me which was a lot of what I liked in the previous book. The pacing and plot were harder for me and I missed the focus being focused on G.

grayjay's review against another edition

3.0

Here we find the characters of Carson's "Autobiography of Red", now middle-aged, with different names, reunited after a long lapse in time. I have a few thoughts. I felt that this time around, any connection to the mythical figures these characters were first based on has been abandoned, as has any development of her characters from the first book. I understand that the first book was about two youths exploring a complicated emotional and physical relationship, and now we're dealing with two fairly broken middle-aged men, but they characters were pretty unrecognizable from their younger selves. What then is the point if we cannot follow the growth of the characters? Why make this a sequel at all?

murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

The language was beautiful, but I found the storyline harder to follow than I did in ‘Autobiography of Red’. 

natsumiburde's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

4.0

finalgirlfall's review

4.0

mothers don't come around again in spring.

eliocean's review against another edition

4.5

G (geryon), I love you: we are the same. thoroughly enjoyed the Oxen herd imagery, Io is so endearing and soothing. I felt like I was out of my depth at times, I'm not sure my brain is quite this synced or clever just yet