I usually skip the introductions and get back to read them, when I finish the book, because they usually contain spoilers. But with the Virgin SuicideI usually skip the introductions and get back to read them, when I finish the book, because they usually contain spoilers. But with the Virgin Suicides, the spoilers were on the very first page of the book.
By giving us this information immediately, with such cool distance, Eugenides directs our attention to different questions, to a different scale of novelistic inquiry. Even when all the unknowns become known, every detail accounted for, every witness interrogated, how much can we ever truly understand our own lives?
... how much can we ever truly understand our own lives? This idea from the introduction was haunting me as soon as I started the book and was an affirmation of my feelings when I read the introduction after finishing the book.
With the heartbreaking and sadly beautiful narrative, Eugenides dragged me to the depressed world of the Lisbon family and its neighborhood. The most difficult part was I couldn't figure out whether I was an outsider and one of the narrators or a member of the family, because I felt to be both. And I felt helpless, I knew too well what means a grief without its expression, how the grief without the cry for help can consume and emotionally kill you making you incapable of emotionally connect and the worst of all help the most precious people in your life, because...
It didn't matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls, but only that we had loved them, and that they hadn't heard us calling, still do not hear us, up here in the tree house, with our thinning hair and soft bellies, calling them out of those rooms where they went to be alone for all time, alone in suicide, which is deeper than death, and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together.
This book is magically captivating and beautiful. The aura of the decade, the rain, the gothic and mystic mood of Spain, and books, tones of books burThis book is magically captivating and beautiful. The aura of the decade, the rain, the gothic and mystic mood of Spain, and books, tones of books buried for a few privileged. At first, the slow pace of the story was not so inviting, and I was waiting to be drugged in the story to wander in these rainy streets along with shadows skulking around. It took me about 200 pages to be invited to the party. And I was hooked. Some things annoyed me, though. The author couldn't convince me about the feeling of each character. I knew it was right for a character to be happy, unhappy, outraged, vindictive, crave for something. It was logical, actions were logical, which is the most important thing for me in the book. But I was not assured, he missed something... He couldn't make me believe. (view spoiler)[ The other thing, which actually killed all the excitement for the story was the turning point that Julian and Penelope were brother and sister. And I wanted to find some connection, except for the book, between Daniel and Julian. (hide spoiler)] I don't know why, but I was craving for another solution, another mistery, other feelings about this book. I wanted to be heartbroken like I was for Atonement, The English Patient (by the way, am I the only one to find that the author wanted to partially imitate Enlish Patient?), The Time Traveler's Wife. The lack of emotional outbursts from my part and not so convincing descriptions of feeling from the author's part leave me a little disappointed. But I'm not complaining about the writing here (it saved the day!), I just wanted to feel, too... 4.5 rounded down - the author managed to keep me in suspense and awake to read the book long after my usual sleep time, still... I wanted more....more
I am not a huge fan of poetry. No. This is not my thing. But Neruda is maybe one of few whose work I enjoy. I didn't read the whole book. The collectiI am not a huge fan of poetry. No. This is not my thing. But Neruda is maybe one of few whose work I enjoy. I didn't read the whole book. The collection starts with selected poems from 100 Love Sonnets. After the first part, I felt that if I continue to read from his other collections, the magic of Neruda will be lost for me. And I want to carry his magic with me, because these selected poems from 100 Love Sonnets were pure magic....more
The hell with it, this is getting a five star. I don't know who recommended me this book, I forgot to note it, but thank you! At first it was a littleThe hell with it, this is getting a five star. I don't know who recommended me this book, I forgot to note it, but thank you! At first it was a little boring. The narrative was not captivating, so I wanted to leave it but the story kept me glued to the book. I couldn't understand if this was a one or five star book. After 50 pages I couldn't put this down. This was fun and at the same time sad to read. Highly recommended!...more
Wow, this book... I now officially have another favorite writer. Gaiman has a thing with characters. His every book has one I fall in love with. That's Wow, this book... I now officially have another favorite writer. Gaiman has a thing with characters. His every book has one I fall in love with. That's not a common thing to happen when I read a book. In this I fell in love with a star! Here she is. [image] [image]
The story is a fairy tale for adults. When started, I couldn't put it down. Yesterday I caught myself on a thought that I need to get back home to read this no matter how much important stuff I have to do. And the illustrations were hilarious. I am not fond of comics and manga, so all my books are thick and without pictures, but with this book you can't take your eyes off the illustrations. [image]
Only one thing annoying about Gaiman! Man, what's matter with you to publish the same book with different texts. Every time I buy a book I look for it to have "author's preferred text". And because of that I had to give up the illustrated version of Neverwhere, because somehow the illustrated version's text is not "author's preferred" one. And I hope there is no other Stardust text!...more
I am in trouble, I am in big trouble. I can't do anything but read today. This is my second finished book for today and I fear of starting a new one, I am in trouble, I am in big trouble. I can't do anything but read today. This is my second finished book for today and I fear of starting a new one, because I may accidentally finish it too. I need a prison bar over my bookshelves for a night.
I don't remember lately reading a book with such deep feelings showed. One word to describe the book - deep, this book was deep. It was so real. It seemed I was seating in a living room with these 4 people, and they were living their lives, talking, eating, thinking, being cheated - having me as a ghost in their houses, in their lives. I love the way Updike created the people for this book. Two women - definitely the exact opposite of each other and two men letting these women decide how they should live.
"Men don't like to make decisions, they want God or women to make them."
The whole book is around this sentence. Well, they don't just say, decide instead of me, they just wait for the circumstances to decide how to act. And they want these circumstances to be created by their women.
I loved Ruth. Her way of making decisions, her perspectiveness of future life, her mature thinking, her way of building her family. The others were so weak - Jerry without a hint what to do, changing his mind every two minutes (I am sure he would change his mind again if the book had two-three more pages.); Sally without any idea what she wanted or if she knew what she wanted, was it what she needed?; and Richard too much into himself.
I have never read Updike before, but now I'm intrigued. The man creates a mood - the writing is so honest and straight, the story is so realistically true....more
Two people experimenting new emotions, new life. Two people with different feelings about intimacy. But these two were opposite extremities. Maybe theTwo people experimenting new emotions, new life. Two people with different feelings about intimacy. But these two were opposite extremities. Maybe they were too young or they got married soon. Love doesn't depend only from physical intimacy. Also, it's the acceptance of your loved one's choice. The first book from McEwan was Atonement with strict and less emotional prose than you could expect from the plot. On the Chesil Beach was more emotional. Few writers know how to write natural erotic scenes without cheap story, and McEwan is one of them....more
The comfortable feeling of slowing down the time, enjoying every minute of reading. We are always out of our comfort zones, trying to survive. This boThe comfortable feeling of slowing down the time, enjoying every minute of reading. We are always out of our comfort zones, trying to survive. This book was dragging me back to my comfort zone, telling me it's ok to relax, slow down, get comfy. This book was comfortable. All I needed was to find a cozy reading spot....more
Manuel for writing a successful book about brothels. Take an old man Take a virgin whore or better - several; Put them together in the same room, to have a desirable outcome - for several nights. The desired outcome here is of course to hook the reader; The girl must be sleeping the whole time; The man must sit or lie down and admire her innocence and her beauty; The man must remember his past; Nothing happens between them; The end!
Maybe you'll get a Nobel Prize - they both did. (hide spoiler)]
Ok. Now the serious part. This was an absolute "esoteric masterpiece" as Mishima describes, with unbelievable openness, passion, and reality - Japanese surrealism mixed up with Marquez-esque magical realism. Kawabata's writing is magic. No matter how absurd the plot is, you are hooked....more
Ok, Mister Murakami, I like when the author makes you think after the reading. You 1. I just definitely need to reread this!!!
2. Update for rereading!
Ok, Mister Murakami, I like when the author makes you think after the reading. You analyse it for an hour, for two days, maybe for a week, you have a book hangover and can't read anything else. But finally you overcome the feeling and carry on with your life. The experience was not the same for Kafka on the shore. I didn't get the answers, and my mind is blown. As you advised in one of your interviews, I reread the book in order to solve the riddles from every single chapter of the book. I reread it after three days of analysing, still in hangover of what I had just read. I reread it with page markers all over the book marking the most important parts. I studied the story as one does in university with a text book. This was kind of personal challenge. All these I never did before. Even for my most favourite books. Even for Harry Potter. I wanted to fully understand this book, I wanted it to give me the solutions. I wanted the perfection of the story. I wanted this to be the perfect performance of Schubert's D major. But as you wrote.
"A certain type of perfection can only be realized through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect".
I am still gathering the parts of the story in my mind to have that feeling of perfection. And "It's all a question of imagination"....more
Every time I read a book by Murakami I go back and change some of my previous ratings for his other works. And every time I regret I read Kafka on theEvery time I read a book by Murakami I go back and change some of my previous ratings for his other works. And every time I regret I read Kafka on the Shore before his every other work, because I want to read something better than Kafka. And every time I want more than Kafka. I see Murakami as a superhero who’ll give me something better every time. Still, I get disappointed. I don’t say this one was bad. No, it was a quick read and unputdownable book. As always, master of the words and the story, Murakami makes you grab the book and not let it go until you finish. Even if you don’t like the characters. But the last 100 pages made me feel lonely and sad, I wanted to be alone, not to talk to anybody, not to think, just sit there, read, and sometimes look at the wall in that sadness. Some books leave you like that: to feel something you’ve never felt before, or maybe you didn’t think you felt…...more
I am surprised at my ability to read a classic in 3 days. At first, I was reading 5-10 pages, but then it went so smoothly and quickly. I believe it'sI am surprised at my ability to read a classic in 3 days. At first, I was reading 5-10 pages, but then it went so smoothly and quickly. I believe it's Lawrence's talent to restrain from describing a simple tea party of two people in more than 50 pages (well, some authors have more than 100 pages)....more
How can a male writer create this kind of perfect female character. I don't mean that Lisbeth is perfect. But she is so whole, so vivid, and alive chaHow can a male writer create this kind of perfect female character. I don't mean that Lisbeth is perfect. But she is so whole, so vivid, and alive character. It's impossible to forget her. There are a lot of female characters who are real, likeable, strong, described and presented to us in their full descriptions. All are creatures of female imagination. It seems male authors are afraid to create a woman who will outrun them. But some manage. Larsson was one of them. Savoured during New Year holidays. One of the best presents I've ever received....more
This is my second read of The English Patient, and I was positively surprised how different the book seemed to me. Throughout the book, the love story This is my second read of The English Patient, and I was positively surprised how different the book seemed to me. Throughout the book, the love story was in the fog, or keeping the main mood of the book, in the sand storm. You don't see what exactly is happening, but you can guess from the blurred visions. It was strange that this time I didn't fall for any of the characters. I fell for the desert, the sand. It was so luring, pure, virgin.
“The desert could not be claimed or owned–it was a piece of cloth carried by winds, never held down by stones, and given a hundred shifting names... Its caravans, those strange rambling feasts and cultures, left nothing behind, not an ember. All of us, even those with European homes and children in the distance, wished to remove the clothing of our countries. It was a place of faith. We disappeared into landscape.”
I have never seen desert, but now it's calling me as if it's an ocean during the hottest summer.
The prose is heartbreakingly poetic and beautiful. If you haven't read it, the desert is truly inviting, you won't regret it....more
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