Reviews

there are more things by Yara Rodrigues Fowler

katherineknitsandreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

elfs29's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

Fowler had a lot of intentions with this novel and I think every single one was fulfilled deftly and given enough time and space to unfold and conclude. The two different historical backdrops of Brazil in the 1960s and 70s and London in the 2010s brilliantly intertwines so many lives and themes, politically and personally. Fowler's constant changing of the form allows for an all the more expressive and moving reading experience, one that, at its core, aims to unite queer women and help them free themselves.

And Hamlet says No, he will not kill himself, because there is everything to live for because so much more is possible than what they have imagined yet, because there are more things on heaven and earth.

dashmundo's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

ellies_shelf's review against another edition

3.0

This book centres around Melissa and Catarina, two young women with Brazilian heritage who share a flat in Mile End. A lot of the book is dedicated to looking back to their early lives - Catarina's in Brazil and Melissa's in Tooting. Living myself in Tooting, Melissa's backstory was strange to read as Yara Rodrigues Fowler's light fictionalising of the locations of her childhood (I presume based on her own childhood growing up in the area) is really clunky - although to a reader not from the area this may not be an issue. The sections of the book set in Brazil were much more effective and evocative, primarily due to the fact that they were more generalised.

The main issue I had with this book was the pedestrian narration. A lot of the writing is really quotidian and dull. I can understand why this book was shortlisted for the Goldsmiths as it has a lot of random line breaks, lack of speech punctuation, intercalated recipes & songs - but I really can't see this book as experimental in its form when these elements of form have been done so so many times before.

There is a lot of Brazilian politics and London-based politics of organisation woven through this book, which I think is its strongest point. The lengthy reminiscences about being a teenager in South London are what made the book too long for me & almost felt as if they were part of a different project. Overall I was left not really understanding what Yara Rodrigues Fowler was trying to do with this book but I'm sure other readers will engage with it more than I did.

lunaliz's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

m7mdtonsy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

taras_reading's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

laurarm's review against another edition

emotional informative mysterious sad tense

4.25

Stellenweise hat das Buch einen sehr gepackt und man fiebert mit den Charakteren mit. Die verschiedenen Stories wurden sinnvoll miteinander verwoben. Die Rückblicke haben mir am besten gefallen, da sie recht linear erzählt waren. Das Ende hingegen hinterlässt einen mit eher gemischten Gefühlen… Was passiert jetzt genau mit Catarina und Melissa? Die Versöhnung mit Ruth hat mir nicht allzu gut gefallen (warum ausgerechnet zu diesem Zeitpunkt? Warum überhaupt?) 
Insgesamt sind es sympathische und weiche Charaktere, die miteinander leben. Der Handlungsort London wird elegant in die Story verwoben. Als jemand, der wenig über die brasilianische Geschichte weiß, konnte man in dem Buch auch noch einiges lernen. 


Sprachlich auf jeden Fall ein ungewöhnliches Buch. Viele musikalische und portugiesische einschübe. Viel anekdotisches schreiben, kurze Sätze und eine spannende Seitengestaltung. Es ist spannend ein Buch zu lesen, dass mit der eigenen Formatierung spielt. Allerdings konnte ich bis zum Ende keine Systematik in der Zeichensetzung erkennen (mal ja, mal nein?).

Ist Gloria Clitemnestra? Diese Annahme steht im Raum, wird aber nicht ausformuliert.

oryx27's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

breni's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.75