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A review by coolcatalycat
Pure Colour by Sheila Heti
2.75
I actually have no idea what happened in this book. If someone asked me to summarize the plot, i wouldn’t be able to. Because there wasn’t really a plot, it was more like a stream of consciousness. And because of that, I couldn’t tell if I hated it or admired it.
There were a few ideas, questions and thoughts that really spoke to me. but then they were ruined by something that made me cringe.
The concept of the book seems to be that we’re living in the “first draft” of existence, and the gods are observing and taking notes on what to keep or change for the next one. There was this beautiful paragraph about how, even after death, our spirits remain connected to the earth and continue to exist for years. But it ended with something about how in the next draft, we won’t feel sad about fathers dying because fathers won’t exist. Like what do you mean???
I understand what the author was going for: that sense of questioning and grappling with existential thoughts, especially after experiencing loss. And while the chaotic structure might mirror the scattered nature of grief, as a piece of writing, it just felt all over the place.
The book was also sometimes too pessimistic and nihilistic. I think overall it just made me angry because it had so much potential to be good. Because I won’t lie, some of this sounded like it was taken straight from my brain. But the rest was just so stupid I’m so sorry
There were a few ideas, questions and thoughts that really spoke to me. but then they were ruined by something that made me cringe.
The concept of the book seems to be that we’re living in the “first draft” of existence, and the gods are observing and taking notes on what to keep or change for the next one. There was this beautiful paragraph about how, even after death, our spirits remain connected to the earth and continue to exist for years. But it ended with something about how in the next draft, we won’t feel sad about fathers dying because fathers won’t exist. Like what do you mean???
I understand what the author was going for: that sense of questioning and grappling with existential thoughts, especially after experiencing loss. And while the chaotic structure might mirror the scattered nature of grief, as a piece of writing, it just felt all over the place.
The book was also sometimes too pessimistic and nihilistic. I think overall it just made me angry because it had so much potential to be good. Because I won’t lie, some of this sounded like it was taken straight from my brain. But the rest was just so stupid I’m so sorry