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laura_corsi's review
2.0
I know this book received many good reviews. That's why I read it. However, I found it hard to get through. A seemingly aimless and wandering tale with no real beginning and no real end. The character didn't seem to learn or grow much along the way either. One interesting subplot was the writer's involvement with the communist movement in the UK during the 60s.
savaging's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book a decade ago. This second time around, the book again wrapped around my life. Made me feel understood. And then gently carried me to the edge of sanity.
I love how this book deals with art and politics. Lines like: "The real reason why so many artists now take to politics, 'commitment' and so on is that they are rushing into a discipline, any discipline at all, which will save them from the poison of the word 'artist' used by the enemy."
Or: "Sometimes I think the one form of experience people are incapable of learning from is the political experience."
This time, I was more annoyed by the book's treatment of gay people. Anna treats her gay lodgers almost exactly the way the butt-of-the-joke Mrs. Boothby treats her black cook. I almost believe this is intentional, to force us to see that rapid cultural change can always crack a person apart a little bit, and we can't assume easy superiority over the 'backward.' But there are too many other strange jabs at queerness, an equation of gay males and misogyny.
Also this time I had even less patience for Saul Green. Ugh, Saul Green. Just the worst.
I love how this book deals with art and politics. Lines like: "The real reason why so many artists now take to politics, 'commitment' and so on is that they are rushing into a discipline, any discipline at all, which will save them from the poison of the word 'artist' used by the enemy."
Or: "Sometimes I think the one form of experience people are incapable of learning from is the political experience."
This time, I was more annoyed by the book's treatment of gay people. Anna treats her gay lodgers almost exactly the way the butt-of-the-joke Mrs. Boothby treats her black cook. I almost believe this is intentional, to force us to see that rapid cultural change can always crack a person apart a little bit, and we can't assume easy superiority over the 'backward.' But there are too many other strange jabs at queerness, an equation of gay males and misogyny.
Also this time I had even less patience for Saul Green. Ugh, Saul Green. Just the worst.
savazelena's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
DNF at 464 which is a shame, I try to decide within the first 100 pages but I really thought this was gonna work. Truth is, this is at least 3 books in one and they're all meh.
novabird's review
2.0
“What's terrible is to pretend that second-rate is first-rate."
This was a stark look at women's bitter use of their tongues and the author's stated goal was to move towards 'integration.' It may do this in a Jungian fashion, but I continue to work on my own integration and actualization. This means I still avoid the culture of women who are prone to backbiting/gossip and slander as a means of power in the world and I do not want to immerse myself in that world.
“Sometimes I dislike women, I dislike us all, because of our capacity for not-thinking when it suits us; we choose not to think when we are reaching our for happiness.”
I thought this through. And I can't pretend it is any more than a 2. I give this a flat 2 as it didn't help me, but I could see how it would help others.
This was a stark look at women's bitter use of their tongues and the author's stated goal was to move towards 'integration.' It may do this in a Jungian fashion, but I continue to work on my own integration and actualization. This means I still avoid the culture of women who are prone to backbiting/gossip and slander as a means of power in the world and I do not want to immerse myself in that world.
“Sometimes I dislike women, I dislike us all, because of our capacity for not-thinking when it suits us; we choose not to think when we are reaching our for happiness.”
I thought this through. And I can't pretend it is any more than a 2. I give this a flat 2 as it didn't help me, but I could see how it would help others.
tildahlia's review against another edition
3.0
There was a lot to like about this book. It had been sitting on the bedside table for years and I finally decided to tackle the almost-600 page beast on holidays when I knew I’d have time. I found the structure (of the various notebooks) interesting and found myself engrossed in a lot of the subplots/fictionalised accounts. The themes around grappling with individual vs collective responsibility and moral quandaries associated with participating in big (and sometimes corrupted) social movements felt timely for my own thinking about my own activism. That said, for a feminist book there was A LOT of agonising over, and pining for, the affections of some very mediocre and undeserving men, which may be grounded in reality (and is not inconsistent with feminism) but still felt pretty tiresome after a while. A solid 3.5 though.
maryann573's review
5.0
Back in the day this book was a revelation to me. A book I could directly relate to wasn't something I saw around much, but I don't know if younger readers would be able to relate to it.
mika55's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lizawall's review
Mixed feelings, y'all! Parts of this were just the best, and then parts so ugh.