Scan barcode
vespertineonly's review against another edition
Der Roman ist eine endlose Reihe aus Allegorien, Metaphern, Anspielungen, Assoziationen - angestrengt anstrengend. Außerdem erscheint die Erzählung doch zu einseitig. Entspräche diese Erzählung der Sichtweise der Autorin, wäre diese zu bemitleiden. Männer sind böse, sie sind nicht mehr als Tiere, die ihren niederträchtigen Trieben nachgehen. Es gibt keine positiv konnotierten männlichen Personen in diesem Roman. Die Protagonistin ist auf ganzer Linie zu bemitleiden. Schade.
aegireads's review
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
w h e w
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Alcoholism
barbie611's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
screen_memory's review
4.0
There is a peculiar reliance on language in Jelinek's books. So far each novel shows a different side of Jelinek. Lust is Jelinek at her most witty, with language games and puns abounding.
The language here is in service to, of course, lust and sexuality. Words are often followed by a homophonic twin, double entendres and playful or juvenile nicknames for genitals are as abundant as the husband's sexual whims. Remember how exhausting the ten-minute *YOU-KNOW* scene in Gaspar Noe's Irreversible was? I don't mean that this novel is as thematically gruesome, but it similarly aims toward exhaustion as an aesthetic effect, with sex scenes spanning numerous pages.The prose is smattered with semen and full of the anxious pressure that anticipates and demands sexual release - it is tense and taut with sexuality (a book I had to take care to guard from others' view on the bus and train).
This is not intimate love, however. This is a man exercising his will and control over what is his property by virtue of Austria's patriarchal society which, as was communicated in her Women as Lovers, allows women little hope for any course in life aside from that as a wife and a mother. Gerti is her husband's receptacle as the novel bluntly puts it, and little more. She is a mother as well, but the child exists as yet another recipient of the father's almighty will and frequent beatings.
Gerti searches for salvation in another lover, Michael, but, alas, her affair, despite her hopes, is certain to come to no good end - is he not yet another man compelled above all by lust?
The language here is in service to, of course, lust and sexuality. Words are often followed by a homophonic twin, double entendres and playful or juvenile nicknames for genitals are as abundant as the husband's sexual whims. Remember how exhausting the ten-minute *YOU-KNOW* scene in Gaspar Noe's Irreversible was? I don't mean that this novel is as thematically gruesome, but it similarly aims toward exhaustion as an aesthetic effect, with sex scenes spanning numerous pages.The prose is smattered with semen and full of the anxious pressure that anticipates and demands sexual release - it is tense and taut with sexuality (a book I had to take care to guard from others' view on the bus and train).
This is not intimate love, however. This is a man exercising his will and control over what is his property by virtue of Austria's patriarchal society which, as was communicated in her Women as Lovers, allows women little hope for any course in life aside from that as a wife and a mother. Gerti is her husband's receptacle as the novel bluntly puts it, and little more. She is a mother as well, but the child exists as yet another recipient of the father's almighty will and frequent beatings.
Gerti searches for salvation in another lover, Michael, but, alas, her affair, despite her hopes, is certain to come to no good end - is he not yet another man compelled above all by lust?
canina's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
vtlism's review
5.0
this book has two aspects - the brilliant analysis and mirroring of sex with capitalism, and the wearying repetition. by the first thirty pages, much of which i read on the el (hoping no one would glance into the book and see the inevitably sordid & brutal sex scene of the moment), i emerged from the el tunnel with new eyes toward the world, as if the veil had been dropped. it's a rare book that accomplishes such a thing in its readers! so i was sold. but despite how brilliant it was, i'm not sure when i'll want to dive into another of jelinek's works again. it was brutal to read, and by halfway through, i wanted a significant number of the characters to die. also, i can't imagine having anyone with whom to discuss this book. i wouldn't dare recommend it to anyone, lest they hate me for it.
pencilspeaker's review
1.0
I have never been so disturbed by a book. It's basically one metaphor of rape after another for 250 pages. Sure, it's all about capitalism and exploitation, but there is only so much I can read about a husband "taking what is his, belongs to him". I guess it is supposed to be critical and thought provoking, but I just found it disgusting.
iloveyoon's review
Mentioned that I wanted to read Women as Lovers and Carol sent this to me par poste (or maybe when we were in Lodi? I don't remember.)
I was going through a weird funk and this book just made that funk that much more pronounced.
I felt like there was almost a strange language gap and maybe Jelinek's descriptions didn't exactly crossover well in English? I couldn't get through most paragraphs without re-reading it then feeling disgusted about what was going on.
I ended up giving myself more entertaining/fluffy reads between attempts to tackle this madness and the pauses just got longer and longer.
I think I'll hold onto this. I feel like I might appreciate it more when I'm in my gray hair days and am bitter at the world.
I was going through a weird funk and this book just made that funk that much more pronounced.
I felt like there was almost a strange language gap and maybe Jelinek's descriptions didn't exactly crossover well in English? I couldn't get through most paragraphs without re-reading it then feeling disgusted about what was going on.
I ended up giving myself more entertaining/fluffy reads between attempts to tackle this madness and the pauses just got longer and longer.
I think I'll hold onto this. I feel like I might appreciate it more when I'm in my gray hair days and am bitter at the world.
spyralnode's review
2.0
What was the point? A brutal story about a woman who is regarded as a piece of property and a tool by the men around her, which sadly did not keep me interested despite the beautiful writing.
I have read 'The Piano Teacher' in the past, which I absolutely fell in love with. It's what made me pick 'Lust' up as well. Jelinek's novels are not meant to be 'pretty' or upbeat, they refer more to the dark side in us and let it come to life. I tolerate well sad or violent books, but I just found this one incredibly boring. The premise, especially because it is set in a skiing location in Austria and deals with psychology and relationships, attracted me. The writing is poetic, relying a lot on language games and double meanings, and for that I can't fault it. What I can fault it for though or that the characters are shells meant to depict an idea - they do not feel realistic or multifaceted. They come across as, if not content, static as to where they are within their life. They may have regret, but they take no action. Because of this the plot seems like a repetition of the same events.
Certain aspects of the writing did confuse me, though. Jelinek jumped between the person she was using, sometimes using even first or second person. Because of this, and combined with the fact that she would sometimes write things in passive voice, it comes across as a book of observations and almost like a documentary. There is no character perspective and I think that's what also stopped me from developing any feel for the characters.
Gerti ends up being used and remains silent, more so, falls in the same situation again and again. She is just there ready for the taking. And that is the only side of her personality we get to know, the oppressed one. It's just not enough for me.
I have read 'The Piano Teacher' in the past, which I absolutely fell in love with. It's what made me pick 'Lust' up as well. Jelinek's novels are not meant to be 'pretty' or upbeat, they refer more to the dark side in us and let it come to life. I tolerate well sad or violent books, but I just found this one incredibly boring. The premise, especially because it is set in a skiing location in Austria and deals with psychology and relationships, attracted me. The writing is poetic, relying a lot on language games and double meanings, and for that I can't fault it. What I can fault it for though or that the characters are shells meant to depict an idea - they do not feel realistic or multifaceted. They come across as, if not content, static as to where they are within their life. They may have regret, but they take no action. Because of this the plot seems like a repetition of the same events.
Certain aspects of the writing did confuse me, though. Jelinek jumped between the person she was using, sometimes using even first or second person. Because of this, and combined with the fact that she would sometimes write things in passive voice, it comes across as a book of observations and almost like a documentary. There is no character perspective and I think that's what also stopped me from developing any feel for the characters.
Gerti ends up being used and remains silent, more so, falls in the same situation again and again. She is just there ready for the taking. And that is the only side of her personality we get to know, the oppressed one. It's just not enough for me.