zoolmcg's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
As a big fan of El Saadawi's works, I was really excited to get stuck into this one. I quickly found, though, that surrealist fiction still isn't quite for me, and so for that reason, I didn't really enjoy this one. The premise and the blurb had me hooked, and the first thirty or so pages were amazing. But after that, I was only gripped occasionally, and a lot of it lend itself to being vague, skim-able description.
Core themes in El Saadawi's work include women and their oppression, especially in Egypt and within Islam. The previous two works of hers I had read - Memoirs of a Woman Doctor and Woman at Point Zero - managed to display these themes wonderfully, in emotive and well written story. But this didn't feel so much as a story, but as a dream or a hallucinatory sequence, chopped up with sparsely used dialogue and repetition. The woman's profession and passions were deeply interesting, but by making the story so detached from her for the sake of social commentary, I couldn't really connect with her as much as I did with protagonists of her other novels.
I really don't have that many thoughts on this one as I wish I did. Most of the things that happened were forgettable and lacked impact. Characters blended together, and most of the time I couldn't tell who was where and what was really happening. I think, in part, this is my fault as a reader, and I just haven't really adapted to this style of writing very well. Perhaps I'll give it another go in the future, but I can say right now, it won't be a very near future.
Core themes in El Saadawi's work include women and their oppression, especially in Egypt and within Islam. The previous two works of hers I had read - Memoirs of a Woman Doctor and Woman at Point Zero - managed to display these themes wonderfully, in emotive and well written story. But this didn't feel so much as a story, but as a dream or a hallucinatory sequence, chopped up with sparsely used dialogue and repetition. The woman's profession and passions were deeply interesting, but by making the story so detached from her for the sake of social commentary, I couldn't really connect with her as much as I did with protagonists of her other novels.
I really don't have that many thoughts on this one as I wish I did. Most of the things that happened were forgettable and lacked impact. Characters blended together, and most of the time I couldn't tell who was where and what was really happening. I think, in part, this is my fault as a reader, and I just haven't really adapted to this style of writing very well. Perhaps I'll give it another go in the future, but I can say right now, it won't be a very near future.
blueskies157's review against another edition
Maybe if I was less tired would have got it more, but just did not vibe with the style
mlrodish's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
marinazala's review against another edition
3.0
** Books 130 - 2014 **
novel ini menceritakan seorang perempuan yg bekerja sebagai arkeologi yg pergi mengambil cuti dan menghilang tanpa kabar. suaminya mencoba melapor polisi untuk mencari istrinya.. saya merasakan adanya diskriminasi dan kecurigaan terhadap perempuan yg agak berlebihan disini dari inspektur polisi tsb
Seorang perempuan muda menceburkan diri ke dalam pekerjaan yg tidak ada ujung pangkalnya seperti mengumpulkan patung. bukankah itu gejala penyakit atau bahkan perbuatan tidak wajar?
perempuan tersebut ternyata sedang mencari patung2 dan peninggalan dewi-dewi seperti Dewi Sekhmet (dewi kematian), dewi numu (dewi air), dewi inana (dewi alam dan kesuburan) yg akhirnya dalam perjalanannya ia berganti-ganti suami hingga akhirnya kembali ke suami pertama yg ternyata sudah punya istri yg baru..
saya merasakan di novel ini betapa perempuan mesir tidak berdaya dan mendapat diskriminasi dari kaum pria dari mulai pekerjaan yg seharusnya dilakukan wanita, wanita harusnya melayani lelaki dsbnya.. tema cerita ini bagus cuma kurang dalam eksekusinya saya berikan 2,7 dari 5 bintang! :)
novel ini menceritakan seorang perempuan yg bekerja sebagai arkeologi yg pergi mengambil cuti dan menghilang tanpa kabar. suaminya mencoba melapor polisi untuk mencari istrinya.. saya merasakan adanya diskriminasi dan kecurigaan terhadap perempuan yg agak berlebihan disini dari inspektur polisi tsb
Seorang perempuan muda menceburkan diri ke dalam pekerjaan yg tidak ada ujung pangkalnya seperti mengumpulkan patung. bukankah itu gejala penyakit atau bahkan perbuatan tidak wajar?
perempuan tersebut ternyata sedang mencari patung2 dan peninggalan dewi-dewi seperti Dewi Sekhmet (dewi kematian), dewi numu (dewi air), dewi inana (dewi alam dan kesuburan) yg akhirnya dalam perjalanannya ia berganti-ganti suami hingga akhirnya kembali ke suami pertama yg ternyata sudah punya istri yg baru..
saya merasakan di novel ini betapa perempuan mesir tidak berdaya dan mendapat diskriminasi dari kaum pria dari mulai pekerjaan yg seharusnya dilakukan wanita, wanita harusnya melayani lelaki dsbnya.. tema cerita ini bagus cuma kurang dalam eksekusinya saya berikan 2,7 dari 5 bintang! :)
dreeva's review against another edition
1.0
80 - 2021
Gak ngerti kenapa buku ini begitu sulit diselesaikan. jujur saya baca cepat saja karena merasa tidak mampu mengikuti alurnya, gak bisa menikmati lebih tepatnya.
Premisnya sebenarnya menarik, masih tentang perempuan-perempuan dengan berbagai situasi yang bisa banget didiskusikan panjang, hanya saja saya gak dieksekusi dengan baik dan menarik. Di 100 halaman pertama, bisa dibilang saya terengah-engah membaca buku ini karena merasa berupaya sekali agar bisa menikmatinya. Nyatanya saya gak bisa, padahal udah dicoba tinggalin dulu trus balik lagi, itu pun gak mengubah penilaian dari awal. Apalagi ditambah ini ditulis lurus terus kayak jalan tol yang gak tahu kapan ujung babnya. Saya tipe yang menyukai bab per bab yang pendek-pendek sehingga lebih enak menyetop ketika membacanya.
Gak ngerti kenapa buku ini begitu sulit diselesaikan. jujur saya baca cepat saja karena merasa tidak mampu mengikuti alurnya, gak bisa menikmati lebih tepatnya.
Premisnya sebenarnya menarik, masih tentang perempuan-perempuan dengan berbagai situasi yang bisa banget didiskusikan panjang, hanya saja saya gak dieksekusi dengan baik dan menarik. Di 100 halaman pertama, bisa dibilang saya terengah-engah membaca buku ini karena merasa berupaya sekali agar bisa menikmatinya. Nyatanya saya gak bisa, padahal udah dicoba tinggalin dulu trus balik lagi, itu pun gak mengubah penilaian dari awal. Apalagi ditambah ini ditulis lurus terus kayak jalan tol yang gak tahu kapan ujung babnya. Saya tipe yang menyukai bab per bab yang pendek-pendek sehingga lebih enak menyetop ketika membacanya.
sophiamega's review against another edition
3.0
Sebab novel ini bergenre satir surealis, jadi aku tak berharap banyak paham atas alur yang berantakan, potongan cerita yang enggak dijelaskan detail, dan segala kepelikan hidup perempuan, laki-laki, polisi, Baginda Raja.
Kepelikan utamanya sebenarnya perihal:
Perempuan yang tak memiliki jatah cuti dan upah, tetapi laki-laki tetap saja membohongi dengan 'gajimu dari Tuhan' atau 'perempuan bekerja untuk hal yang lebih besar dari gaji'.
Serta perempuan yang berjuang untuk lepas dari ketidakmerdekaan tetapi seperti tak punya jalan lain. Saking menyedihkannya hidup perempuan, ia seringkali menganggap keledai, sapi, dan kodok lebih pintar dari perempuan mana pun.
Aku tidak paham ceritanya, tetapi sangat menikmari dialog-dialog satir di dalamnya seperti:
"Laki-laki itu lelaki teladan, ia semata-mata mematuhi perintah langit agar ia menempeleng perempuan." (hal 235)
Kepelikan utamanya sebenarnya perihal:
Perempuan yang tak memiliki jatah cuti dan upah, tetapi laki-laki tetap saja membohongi dengan 'gajimu dari Tuhan' atau 'perempuan bekerja untuk hal yang lebih besar dari gaji'.
Serta perempuan yang berjuang untuk lepas dari ketidakmerdekaan tetapi seperti tak punya jalan lain. Saking menyedihkannya hidup perempuan, ia seringkali menganggap keledai, sapi, dan kodok lebih pintar dari perempuan mana pun.
Aku tidak paham ceritanya, tetapi sangat menikmari dialog-dialog satir di dalamnya seperti:
"Laki-laki itu lelaki teladan, ia semata-mata mematuhi perintah langit agar ia menempeleng perempuan." (hal 235)
dexterw's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
srm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
An interesting look at misogyny in the Arab world, but I'll just never be a fan of most magical realism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Misogyny
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
milagrodemadre's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-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
A satir surrealism book. You need to watch carefully about the character, because you can lost your focus everytime you read the book. Use many figure of speech, sometimes hard to understand. A pinch in my heart every time I read about the condition and concern of the main character.
eveemilie's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0