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tokha's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
الروايه كانت مثيره للاهتمام البطله كانت تحكي لنا قصة حياتها لين النهايه بس صراحه ما حبيت طريقة السرد و حسيت كانت الاحداث كئيبه ، كنت متوقعه نهايه سعيده على الاقل ، يعني بختصار غلاف الكتاب ابدا مو زي محتواه و احس ما حبيت
katko123's review against another edition
3.0
The beginning is weird, least to say. The coming back to as early life as the one in one´s mother´s womb is not only weird but also bizarre. I didn't like it. I wasn´t sure what this story is supposed to be about.
Karolina tells the story of her family and life before and during the communist era while witnessing the collapse of the cruel regime. We see how three generations are deeply affected by the time they had to live in, not only financially, but mostly psychologically. And in the end, Karolina admits, the happiest memories she had are from the communist era, from the time about which you are not supposed to say one good word.
Coming from a post-communist country myself I read this novella as it was about my own family. Everything that the author said about changes after the collapse of the regime is true. I even felt a bit of nostalgia. The last pages are full of sorrow and disappointment and that´s exactly how my parents feel.
Still... the weird beginning and over sexualisation is too much for me, also unnecessary.
Karolina tells the story of her family and life before and during the communist era while witnessing the collapse of the cruel regime. We see how three generations are deeply affected by the time they had to live in, not only financially, but mostly psychologically. And in the end, Karolina admits, the happiest memories she had are from the communist era, from the time about which you are not supposed to say one good word.
Coming from a post-communist country myself I read this novella as it was about my own family. Everything that the author said about changes after the collapse of the regime is true. I even felt a bit of nostalgia. The last pages are full of sorrow and disappointment and that´s exactly how my parents feel.
Still... the weird beginning and over sexualisation is too much for me, also unnecessary.
mohamedfarid's review against another edition
5.0
رواية راقصة الخيل
رواية للكاتبة السولفاكية أورشولا كوفاليك - وبصراحة الرواية بتديك إحساس غريب مش عارف أوصفه: غالباً بالدفء - لان الرواية مكتوبة بطريقة الراوي الأول اللي بيوصف أدق التفاصيل من مواقف ومشاعر وأحاسيس - ومع إن الرواية فيها بعض التجاوزات إلا إن ده جاء في السياق وكجزء من الرواية دون الشعور بتقزز او اشمئزاز!
القصة عن تلك الفتاة التي تحكي عن أدق تفاصيل حياتها منذ وجودها في رحم أمها إلى أن وصلت لسنها الحالي في الرواية مروراً بتجربتها مع جدتها وتعلمها السباحة ودخولها المدرسة وانتقالها من بيت جدتها وعلاقات والدتها وحبها للخيل!
لغة الرواية هي الفصحى وهي لطيفة ورائقة جداً وأسلوبها وتعابيرها في غاية الجمال - كنت متمتع من الأسلوب السلس وحتى التجاوزات التي كانت في الرواية جاءت بأسلوب ساحر وده معناه ان الترجمة كانت فوق الممتازة!
اقتباسات
"كانت جدتي أكثر من يردد كلمات السباب في أسرتنا. كانت ترى أن ترديد الشتائم ظاهرة صحية. وهو أمر لا شأن لأحد به طالما تفعله في بيتها. كانت تؤكد أن من لا يجيد ترديد الشتائم كمن يعجز عن التبرز، فسرعان ما يلقى حتفه بعدما يصاب بالإمساك."
"كانت مع كل خبطة بالمسطرة تضع فينا عنْوَةً معلومة لا طائل منها، فيتملكها شعور بأننا قد صرنا أكثر علمًا."
"أرى بدلًا من عينيه مرايا. أرى فيهما عيني الفزعة. الرجل يمد قدمه ويضعها فوق السقالة، ويمسك الحبل بإحدى يديه. يسير متمهلًا، وعلى حذر. يتلذذ بعجزي. لكن سكين جدتي الذي أحتفظ به في جيبي يعيد إليَّ ثباتي."
استمعت إليها على "ستوريتيل" وموجودة على "أبجد"!
#فريديات
رواية للكاتبة السولفاكية أورشولا كوفاليك - وبصراحة الرواية بتديك إحساس غريب مش عارف أوصفه: غالباً بالدفء - لان الرواية مكتوبة بطريقة الراوي الأول اللي بيوصف أدق التفاصيل من مواقف ومشاعر وأحاسيس - ومع إن الرواية فيها بعض التجاوزات إلا إن ده جاء في السياق وكجزء من الرواية دون الشعور بتقزز او اشمئزاز!
القصة عن تلك الفتاة التي تحكي عن أدق تفاصيل حياتها منذ وجودها في رحم أمها إلى أن وصلت لسنها الحالي في الرواية مروراً بتجربتها مع جدتها وتعلمها السباحة ودخولها المدرسة وانتقالها من بيت جدتها وعلاقات والدتها وحبها للخيل!
لغة الرواية هي الفصحى وهي لطيفة ورائقة جداً وأسلوبها وتعابيرها في غاية الجمال - كنت متمتع من الأسلوب السلس وحتى التجاوزات التي كانت في الرواية جاءت بأسلوب ساحر وده معناه ان الترجمة كانت فوق الممتازة!
اقتباسات
"كانت جدتي أكثر من يردد كلمات السباب في أسرتنا. كانت ترى أن ترديد الشتائم ظاهرة صحية. وهو أمر لا شأن لأحد به طالما تفعله في بيتها. كانت تؤكد أن من لا يجيد ترديد الشتائم كمن يعجز عن التبرز، فسرعان ما يلقى حتفه بعدما يصاب بالإمساك."
"كانت مع كل خبطة بالمسطرة تضع فينا عنْوَةً معلومة لا طائل منها، فيتملكها شعور بأننا قد صرنا أكثر علمًا."
"أرى بدلًا من عينيه مرايا. أرى فيهما عيني الفزعة. الرجل يمد قدمه ويضعها فوق السقالة، ويمسك الحبل بإحدى يديه. يسير متمهلًا، وعلى حذر. يتلذذ بعجزي. لكن سكين جدتي الذي أحتفظ به في جيبي يعيد إليَّ ثباتي."
استمعت إليها على "ستوريتيل" وموجودة على "أبجد"!
#فريديات
anacristinapb's review against another edition
5.0
A brief postmodern Bildungsroman, a girl growing up as her country grows through radical changes. The promise, the hope of new beginnings, of freedom and choices, and the final realization that freedom and choices seldom come to those who are poor. Narrated with economy and raw beauty.
itsdanysbooks's review against another edition
3.0
meh out of 10
Čo ja viem. Ten úvod bol taký všelijaký a vôbec som sa do toho nevedela dostať, lebo tam boli len samé opisovačky. Potom ma to začalo zaujímať, ale boli tam aj také scény, pri ktorých som nechápavo krútila hlavou. Ja viem, že to má byť akože nejaké voľné dielo bez obmedzení, s nadávkami, sexom a žiadnou servítkou pred ústami, ale čo je veľa to je veľa.
No je pravda, že sa mi páčilo čítať o tom časovom období, ako to celé fungovalo, ako sa to postupne menilo. Najsilnejšou časťou knihy je jej stred, zvyšok bol taký okej a niektoré pasáže také nijaké až nemusela som o nich čítať.
Čiže taký stred.
Čo ja viem. Ten úvod bol taký všelijaký a vôbec som sa do toho nevedela dostať, lebo tam boli len samé opisovačky. Potom ma to začalo zaujímať, ale boli tam aj také scény, pri ktorých som nechápavo krútila hlavou. Ja viem, že to má byť akože nejaké voľné dielo bez obmedzení, s nadávkami, sexom a žiadnou servítkou pred ústami, ale čo je veľa to je veľa.
No je pravda, že sa mi páčilo čítať o tom časovom období, ako to celé fungovalo, ako sa to postupne menilo. Najsilnejšou časťou knihy je jej stred, zvyšok bol taký okej a niektoré pasáže také nijaké až nemusela som o nich čítať.
Čiže taký stred.
lilyreads01's review against another edition
3.0
The Equestrienne by Uršula Kovalyk is a vibrant and powerful short novel. In 1984, a small town in the east of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Karolína is growing up in the company of her mother and her many boyfriends and her grandmother. Karolína discovers a riding school on the edge of town and it is here she befriends Romana, a girl who has on leg shorter than the other and possesses a fierce bravery. Matilda is a rider and becomes their trainer helping the girls to become fearless riders and form a small competitive trick riding team. For Karolína she finds her world expand and explode as she reaches new heights and powers astride her horse performing to an audience. This book translated from Slovak is sharp, acidic, humorous, moving and buzzing with energy. It paints the portrait of a girl coming of age against the backdrop of revolution with the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 and the arrival of capitalism. Karolína finds friendship and freedom but also discovers greed and the dark side of power. I wish the book had been even more in-depth and felt it ended abruptly, I finished with the feeling there was more of Karolína’s story waiting to be told. This book is perfect for fans of short literary fiction. 3.5 Stars ✨.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.
georgiarybanks's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Suicide, Blood, and Alcohol
marshaskrypuch's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating read about the bullied daughter of a slutty single mother growing up in Czechoslovakia in the years before the Velvet Revolution and also after. Karolina happens upon a horse, a stable and an equally bullied new friend, Ramona, and her life changes forever. Both girls learn to ride and then learn trick-riding and they compete internationally. Everything changes after the revolution and not in the ways that Karolina had hoped for.
This is a quick and satisfying slice of a time now gone. I enjoyed the book and enjoyed Karolina's voice except for one irritating thing, and it could have been the translation: the short sentences, especially in the beginning, are relentless in their monotony. I nearly stopped reading because it became so tedious but the story details made me persevere. After awhile, I forced myself to ignore the punctuation and just read the words.
#netgalley
This is a quick and satisfying slice of a time now gone. I enjoyed the book and enjoyed Karolina's voice except for one irritating thing, and it could have been the translation: the short sentences, especially in the beginning, are relentless in their monotony. I nearly stopped reading because it became so tedious but the story details made me persevere. After awhile, I forced myself to ignore the punctuation and just read the words.
#netgalley
filaughn's review against another edition
1.5
I just flat out didn't like this book. There were a few redeeming pieces to it - for example, I appreciate the comments around how complicated it was for the main character to feel nostalgia for an era that everyone was supposed to think of as the Bad Old Days. I found the way sexuality was addressed and some of the passages around this very off-putting. I also felt like the brevity harmed the narrative in the second half. I don't disagree with the arguments the author had but the latter parts of the book and the ending itself were far too abrupt.
octavia_cade's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
4.5
This is absolutely bonkers and I love it. I don't think it's perfect - four and a half stars rather than five, because the abrupt end kind of lets it down a bit - but the voice is just so much half-mad fun. It's as if Merricat from We Have Always Lived in the Castle wandered away from Shirley Jackson and ended up the protagonist in Angela Carter's Nights at the Circus, except communist instead of Cockney, and with horses.
That's the best description I can give. Unfortunately this is a library copy and so I have to give it back; fortunately I can get a copy for myself and keep it forever.
That's the best description I can give. Unfortunately this is a library copy and so I have to give it back; fortunately I can get a copy for myself and keep it forever.