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A review by kitness
The Master of Petersburg by J.M. Coetzee
dark
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
3.25
Why even use Dostoevsky's name when all you want to write about is yourself?
I'm very lucky that my first Coetzee was "Waiting for the Barbarians." This book has a lot of the same character themes, but much less well done, and completely missing the clear plot muddied surrealistically and grand statements about humanity and societies. Like "Foe," this one is just a lukewarm stream-of-consciousness flappycake.
I thought when I read "Waiting for the Barbarians," I had happened upon a living brilliant writer, each of whose books would be masterful and deep. But now I've read these three, and it's just the one. I don't know if I will ever try another Coetzee. He needs to get his head out of his ass.
Similar, far better things to read:
Crime & Punishment
The 13th House by Zameenzad
Chekhov's short stories
Moravagine
Lolita
To The Lighthouse
Invisible Man by Ellison
I'm very lucky that my first Coetzee was "Waiting for the Barbarians." This book has a lot of the same character themes, but much less well done, and completely missing the clear plot muddied surrealistically and grand statements about humanity and societies. Like "Foe," this one is just a lukewarm stream-of-consciousness flappycake.
I thought when I read "Waiting for the Barbarians," I had happened upon a living brilliant writer, each of whose books would be masterful and deep. But now I've read these three, and it's just the one. I don't know if I will ever try another Coetzee. He needs to get his head out of his ass.
Similar, far better things to read:
Crime & Punishment
The 13th House by Zameenzad
Chekhov's short stories
Moravagine
Lolita
To The Lighthouse
Invisible Man by Ellison