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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
The book is work, work that is worth the effort. The setting is the end of Ceausescu "reign." The prose is sometimes clipped, sometimes poetic. It is an amazing illustration of the difference between living and surviving.
Kept choosing almost any activity over finishing this. Darned all my old socks, then took that as a sign that I should read something else. (Still deserves at least two stars for the dreamy poeticism and the way she perfectly captures a summer afternoon).
challenging
dark
emotional
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The images were beautiful and stark, but there was a disconnect between those images and the atmosphere, for me. It was certainly interesting though.
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Captures feelings and impressions vividly. The overall feeling/ impression was similar to Secondhand Time, which I read just before this book. The plot was a bit disjointed, but I think that was in service to making the unrealness of living in a dictatorship more tangible.
Fui fisgada num primeiro momento pelo sinopse desse livro e me interessei a lê-lo e saber mais sobre como a autora desenvolveria uma trama aparentemente simples, mas com algo para além, envolvendo a questão de uma ditadura. Contudo, confesso que fiquei extremamente decepcionada com tudo. Inicialmente achei que minha falta de compreensão iria se esclarecer em algum momento, mas não foi o que aconteceu. A autora descreve cada mínimo detalhe, fazendo com que eu tenha chegado ao fim do livro sem nem saber do que se tratava. As falas se misturavam com as descrições, a história se perdia em meio a divagações e parece que tudo pretendeu ser tão profundo que nada fez sentido. Sendo sincera, pensei em abandonar o livro assim que cheguei na metade e percebi que nada ia entender ali, e só não o fiz por me sentir muito mal de não terminar. Mas vi que estava lendo avidamente só porque queria finalizar e passar para outro livro. Enfim, não consegui compreender nada do que a sinopse me apresentou como enredo, não compreendi um parágrafo sequer e foi um livro que me entendiou, infelizmente.
3.5*
I really didn't like this novel and reading it required a lot of sustained effort (Müller speaks only in metaphors here and while it's ok to read a page or two written in this style, it is immensely tiring to read a whole book written like this). I however appreciate the effect of all these metaphors and the author's ability to recreate that atmosphere of constant suspicion and silent threats lurking from everywhere, so characteristic of the communist times.
I really didn't like this novel and reading it required a lot of sustained effort (Müller speaks only in metaphors here and while it's ok to read a page or two written in this style, it is immensely tiring to read a whole book written like this). I however appreciate the effect of all these metaphors and the author's ability to recreate that atmosphere of constant suspicion and silent threats lurking from everywhere, so characteristic of the communist times.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Prose was far too flowery for me. It’s lovingly crafted, but it’s not what I’m in the mood for right now.