hrussell's review against another edition
3.0
The plot of this book was really intriguing, but sadly the writing style was not for me.
The events happening in the book had me hooked and were making me want to read on, but I struggled with how it was executed. I found the steam of conscientious style of narration hard to follow with jumping back and forth between events had me confused at where in the story I was. For m personally, I need paragraphs to split the page up and as this book had pages that were one paragraph, it was uncomfortable for me to read.
I can see why this book is liked by many as the topic is interesting and the writing style is a unique point.
The events happening in the book had me hooked and were making me want to read on, but I struggled with how it was executed. I found the steam of conscientious style of narration hard to follow with jumping back and forth between events had me confused at where in the story I was. For m personally, I need paragraphs to split the page up and as this book had pages that were one paragraph, it was uncomfortable for me to read.
I can see why this book is liked by many as the topic is interesting and the writing style is a unique point.
perpetuallyreading's review against another edition
4.0
I think this was one of the most tiring novels I’ve read in a long time. The narrative travels in what I can only describe as small loops that complete a large jigsaw puzzle. So many things seem to be happening all at once, that it’s almost claustrophobic to be stuck in the narrator’s head (who is only referred as “Middle Sister”) this entire novel. This story is definitely not plot driven, but is more of a personal discourse within a confused, teenage mind in a confusing, dystopian town where all the adults kind of act like teenagers with guns. This definitely wasn’t a fast read, and it isn’t a crime novel (as I originally thought). It’s more about how attitudes like “That’s just the way it is...”, taken to an extreme, can at first attempt to protect a society, but can quickly overrun and take over lives.
valjeanval's review against another edition
5.0
Read this in an effort to expand my horizons to include more lit fic. I was blown away by the amount of levels this book functions on. The lack of proper nouns is a great tool for highlighting the gray space the narrator occupies in her relationships and in her homeland. The setting of 1970s Northern Ireland is interesting enough without using it to explore the pressures of conformity, especially those placed on women. The surreal, dreamy-journalistic quality to the writing adds to the intentional vagueness that permeates the whole novel. It's a challenging read, one that definitely made me feel like I was working to understand, but like a good workout, I feel really good having completed it.
frankiebird's review against another edition
4.0
Different. Dark. Disturbing. Dragged a little but... Deserving of its recent Man Booker win.
lolajoan's review against another edition
5.0
It's impossible not to compare this to James Joyce, and not just because it's Irish. It's the lyrical stream-of-consciousness, the diversions, the detailed physical descriptions that still somehow leave only vague images, and the somewhat wrong-headed self-reflection. The personal journey that illustrates important social and political issues. The lofty ideals and poetry-humour.
This reminds of me of when I finally read some David Foster Wallace (The Broom of the System) and discovered he's basically Pynchon 2.0 - updated, with themes and settings that I, as a female in the 21st century, find much more relatable, but still with the Pynchonesque genius. Milkman is Joyce 2.0 in the same way.
In addition to being an incredible act of literature, Milkman takes on the daunting task of explaining how civil war can become normalized, how average people become militants, how living in constant fear of bombings and machine guns can coexist with nightclubs, wee sisters, and chip shops.
If you like James Joyce, or wish you could like James Joyce because you enjoy the writing but find the setting and characters alien, then you'll like this book. If you like slice-of-life coming-of-age stories set in difficult situations and can handle a little loopdeloo in narrative structure, you may also enjoy it.
This reminds of me of when I finally read some David Foster Wallace (The Broom of the System) and discovered he's basically Pynchon 2.0 - updated, with themes and settings that I, as a female in the 21st century, find much more relatable, but still with the Pynchonesque genius. Milkman is Joyce 2.0 in the same way.
In addition to being an incredible act of literature, Milkman takes on the daunting task of explaining how civil war can become normalized, how average people become militants, how living in constant fear of bombings and machine guns can coexist with nightclubs, wee sisters, and chip shops.
If you like James Joyce, or wish you could like James Joyce because you enjoy the writing but find the setting and characters alien, then you'll like this book. If you like slice-of-life coming-of-age stories set in difficult situations and can handle a little loopdeloo in narrative structure, you may also enjoy it.
arvonka's review against another edition
5.0
Dej sa odohráva v sedemdesiatych rokoch počas konfliktu v Severnom Írsku a je obrazom totalitného mesta, kde sú spoločnosťou jasne stanovené pravidlá, čo sa môže a čo nie a akýkoľvek odklon od týchto nepísaných zvykov je nekompromisne odsúdený.
Hlavná hrdinka, ktorá rovnako ako všetci ostatní (asifrajer, prvá sestra, druhá sestra, tretí švagor, tabletkárka, Istý McNiekto, atď.) nemá meno a všetci ju volajú stredná sestra, to má v spoločnosti značne nahnuté kvôli tomu, že si číta počas chôdze. Och, čo si to len dovoľuje?! Avšak to, že si ju navyše začne všímať Mliekar, o dvadsať rokov starší muž, a začne sa jej prihovárať napriek tomu, že ona to nechce, jej reputácia už nemá šancu ustáť.
V tejto knihe je tak neskutočne dusivá atmosféra! A tak, ako hlavná hrdinka nevedela dostať z hlavy Mliekara a mala pocit, že ju prenasleduje na každom kroku, tak moju myseľ opantala táto kniha a nedokázala som myslieť na nič iné. Veľmi zaujímavé bolo to, ako sa protagonistka zamýšľala nad tým, prečo jej Mliekar vlastne vadí, sama sebe hovorí, že jej vlastne nič zlé neurobil, ani sa jej nedotkol... Avšak to, že medzi nimi nedošlo k fyzickému kontaktu, samozrejme, neznamená, že nejde o obťažovanie.
Veľmi ma bavila vtipná protagonistka, ktorá ironicky a sarkasticky popisovala dianie v štvrti, pri ktorom som si neraz ťukala prstom do čela, niekedy sa smiala, no inokedy ma chytali kvalitné nervy!
Na prvý pohľad sa môže zdať, že sa v knihe nič nedeje, že sú niektoré opisy spoločnosti a diania v meste nudné a zdĺhavé, avšak práve v týchto opisoch sa ukrýva veľa menších príbehov, ktoré spolu súvisia a perfektne spolu fungujú.
Štýl autorky je do-ko-na-lý! A aj keď asi nesadne každému, ja absolútne milujem, keď v knihách autor či autorka niečo načne, miliónkrát od toho odbočí a vráti sa k tomu o dvadsať strán neskôr (v tomto prípade niekedy aj o sedemdesiat) a v tom momente do seba všetko zapadne a vám zrazu dôjde, k čomu sa celý ten čas chcel či chcela dopracovať.
Dámy a páni, tomuto ja vravím čitateľský zážitok! Nemám doma žiadnu inú knihu, ktorú by som k Mliekarovi vedela prirovnať, výborné a ja smekám!
Hlavná hrdinka, ktorá rovnako ako všetci ostatní (asifrajer, prvá sestra, druhá sestra, tretí švagor, tabletkárka, Istý McNiekto, atď.) nemá meno a všetci ju volajú stredná sestra, to má v spoločnosti značne nahnuté kvôli tomu, že si číta počas chôdze. Och, čo si to len dovoľuje?! Avšak to, že si ju navyše začne všímať Mliekar, o dvadsať rokov starší muž, a začne sa jej prihovárať napriek tomu, že ona to nechce, jej reputácia už nemá šancu ustáť.
V tejto knihe je tak neskutočne dusivá atmosféra! A tak, ako hlavná hrdinka nevedela dostať z hlavy Mliekara a mala pocit, že ju prenasleduje na každom kroku, tak moju myseľ opantala táto kniha a nedokázala som myslieť na nič iné. Veľmi zaujímavé bolo to, ako sa protagonistka zamýšľala nad tým, prečo jej Mliekar vlastne vadí, sama sebe hovorí, že jej vlastne nič zlé neurobil, ani sa jej nedotkol... Avšak to, že medzi nimi nedošlo k fyzickému kontaktu, samozrejme, neznamená, že nejde o obťažovanie.
Veľmi ma bavila vtipná protagonistka, ktorá ironicky a sarkasticky popisovala dianie v štvrti, pri ktorom som si neraz ťukala prstom do čela, niekedy sa smiala, no inokedy ma chytali kvalitné nervy!
Na prvý pohľad sa môže zdať, že sa v knihe nič nedeje, že sú niektoré opisy spoločnosti a diania v meste nudné a zdĺhavé, avšak práve v týchto opisoch sa ukrýva veľa menších príbehov, ktoré spolu súvisia a perfektne spolu fungujú.
Štýl autorky je do-ko-na-lý! A aj keď asi nesadne každému, ja absolútne milujem, keď v knihách autor či autorka niečo načne, miliónkrát od toho odbočí a vráti sa k tomu o dvadsať strán neskôr (v tomto prípade niekedy aj o sedemdesiat) a v tom momente do seba všetko zapadne a vám zrazu dôjde, k čomu sa celý ten čas chcel či chcela dopracovať.
Dámy a páni, tomuto ja vravím čitateľský zážitok! Nemám doma žiadnu inú knihu, ktorú by som k Mliekarovi vedela prirovnať, výborné a ja smekám!
hdh's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0