larslovesbooks's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When I first started this - my heart sank a little when I noticed the writing style. It is essentially one stream of consciousness with no chapters and what looked like no structure. Reading it and listening to the talk on the day it launched, I later realised it also actually had no full stops. It is basically one very long sentence. I typically find these kind of books a little difficult to get into. However, a big however …
Violeta amongst the stars is a really unique and interesting concept. Th characters are not at all likeable. Violeta is not troubled but she has issues. She doesn’t have self esteem issues even though she’s described as being fat, a whore, and some other derogatory terms. She sleeps with a lot of men and has from when she was a teen. We are not told why and she doesn’t come across as being a nymphomaniac - I’m extrapolating it’s a reaction to the lack of love she gets from her parents. One stormy night she gets into an accident and her life flashes before her eyes. This is how we learn about her parents, their lives and issues, her daughter Dora, Angelo and snippets from the lives of all the people she meets and interacts with.
For what seems to have no structure, it is actually very cleverly done. You get immersed in the story as different plots unfold and we delve into the characters. At the same time you get random voices overlaying the story and the reality of Violeta’s situation flashing to the surface. This was quite interesting - it is not a quick read due to the style, and I found the last third of the book a little boring. Overall I would give it 3 stars. This is definitely one of those that I would say is not for me but I imagine lots of other people would love this.
Violeta amongst the stars is a really unique and interesting concept. Th characters are not at all likeable. Violeta is not troubled but she has issues. She doesn’t have self esteem issues even though she’s described as being fat, a whore, and some other derogatory terms. She sleeps with a lot of men and has from when she was a teen. We are not told why and she doesn’t come across as being a nymphomaniac - I’m extrapolating it’s a reaction to the lack of love she gets from her parents. One stormy night she gets into an accident and her life flashes before her eyes. This is how we learn about her parents, their lives and issues, her daughter Dora, Angelo and snippets from the lives of all the people she meets and interacts with.
For what seems to have no structure, it is actually very cleverly done. You get immersed in the story as different plots unfold and we delve into the characters. At the same time you get random voices overlaying the story and the reality of Violeta’s situation flashing to the surface. This was quite interesting - it is not a quick read due to the style, and I found the last third of the book a little boring. Overall I would give it 3 stars. This is definitely one of those that I would say is not for me but I imagine lots of other people would love this.
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