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mitskacir's review against another edition
4.0
I had to double check that this was a novel and not a memoir. I suppose that, despite being a work of fiction, this is heavily based on the author’s own life. This mostly feels like a memoir because of the tone - it is extremely candid and personal and is written more like an informal diary or stream of consciousness than a plot-driven narrative. I enjoyed this style and was compelled by the character’s story.
maggiebook's review against another edition
4.0
I would sum up this book with three words, moving, raw and beautiful.
The book is written in short chapters, almost paragraphs so there isn't a lot of excess to the book. The story follows the narrator Thandi an American girl born to a South African mother and a NY father. She tells of her life going to school, being part of a family from two different cultures and the death of her mother and its impact on her. I liked that she doesn't try to make the reader like her. She says what comes to mind and shows all the bad messy stuff without apology. The book does seem like she wrote down things as they came into her mind which may be distracting for some readers but I think it fits the randomness of your thought process that comes with losing someone.
Although What We Lose is fictional, the character shares many similarities to the author which makes you feel you are reading an autobiography.
The book is written in short chapters, almost paragraphs so there isn't a lot of excess to the book. The story follows the narrator Thandi an American girl born to a South African mother and a NY father. She tells of her life going to school, being part of a family from two different cultures and the death of her mother and its impact on her. I liked that she doesn't try to make the reader like her. She says what comes to mind and shows all the bad messy stuff without apology. The book does seem like she wrote down things as they came into her mind which may be distracting for some readers but I think it fits the randomness of your thought process that comes with losing someone.
Although What We Lose is fictional, the character shares many similarities to the author which makes you feel you are reading an autobiography.
baoluong's review against another edition
4.0
Part fiction, part autobiographical, What We Lose is more than a book about grief. It is an exploration into the many reasons to live. In the light of her mother's death to cancer, Thandi thinks to every decision her mother made that effectively influenced her own decisions. As she navigates a world without her mother, she questions the person she grew up to be.
Not for nothing, Clemmons drops straight truth in beautiful writing. I have a feeling I'll revisit this book as a reminder of later lessons I have yet to encounter. There's so many great pieces of knowledge nestled in these pages. You don't realize where you're being led at first and then Clemmons hits you over the head with soft musings to painful realities.
I recommend this to fans of complicated mother-daughter relationships. Topics about race, feminism, class, and identity. If you like this book, why not try Little Fires Everywhere.
Not for nothing, Clemmons drops straight truth in beautiful writing. I have a feeling I'll revisit this book as a reminder of later lessons I have yet to encounter. There's so many great pieces of knowledge nestled in these pages. You don't realize where you're being led at first and then Clemmons hits you over the head with soft musings to painful realities.
I recommend this to fans of complicated mother-daughter relationships. Topics about race, feminism, class, and identity. If you like this book, why not try Little Fires Everywhere.
trapwomanistcyborgwitch's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. I really identified with this story of grief. My mom died 4 years ago and I really related to the sadness of this book. Very ambitious and unusual. A lot to think about. I may write more later. I Recommend this book.
suzyvee's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
loveambreen's review against another edition
3.0
I tried really hard to like this more than I did, but I think it just doesn't translate well as an audiobook.
This is the kind of book I would have loved to read and analyze in class, because there's clearly something going on there, but doesn't necessarily work (for me) as a casual read.
This is the kind of book I would have loved to read and analyze in class, because there's clearly something going on there, but doesn't necessarily work (for me) as a casual read.
danicabird's review against another edition
4.0
I felt completely one with the narrator as if I could have written her thoughts without having lived any of her experiences. The book is written in a series of vignettes that will occasionally jump around in time, but orbit the loss of her mother. The short bursts of story make this book so unique and beautiful but also left me wanting more. I wanted to stay with this narrator longer than we are allowed.