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patri_rivera's review against another edition
3.0
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anna_tokareva's review against another edition
4.0
I can't quite remember the last time I finished a book in two days. However, I found my weekend sucked up by this quietly terrifying novel. This is the first book by Patricia Highsmith that I have read, it was perched on the featured shelf at a library I happened to pop in to. The perky librarian raved on about it as she scanned the bar code, but this is not quite the energetic response I would give to this book. This is not a book that leaves one exited, exactly.
Edith's Diary is a work of great skill and restraint. Highsmith's understated style conceals the author's presence, leaving a transparent barrier between the reader and the characters. They are not particularly likable, but its hard not to care about these people as you witness their sad pedestrian lives slowly degenerate.
The impact of this work lies in its insidious invasion of the reader's psyche. Half-way through the novel, I was questioning myself and my own beliefs, assumptions, delusions. How would I know if I was going mad? Imagining things? Highsmith unravels Edith's ‘cracking up’, as her lout of a son Cliffie puts it, in such a subtle way that it almost feels like we are taking the mental journey with her. Hints, gentle foreshadowing, the building of tension, are all artfully handled and used to full effect.
Afterwards, the book is shut. Finished. Still, I felt a little off-kilter for quite a while. The cliche of ‘haunting’ seems invented specifically to describe this book. The story gets under the skin in ways you wouldn't wish on a friend and, like another reviewer had noted, I wouldn't recommend reading it in the midst of a self-doubting episode, that's for sure.
Edith's Diary is a work of great skill and restraint. Highsmith's understated style conceals the author's presence, leaving a transparent barrier between the reader and the characters. They are not particularly likable, but its hard not to care about these people as you witness their sad pedestrian lives slowly degenerate.
The impact of this work lies in its insidious invasion of the reader's psyche. Half-way through the novel, I was questioning myself and my own beliefs, assumptions, delusions. How would I know if I was going mad? Imagining things? Highsmith unravels Edith's ‘cracking up’, as her lout of a son Cliffie puts it, in such a subtle way that it almost feels like we are taking the mental journey with her. Hints, gentle foreshadowing, the building of tension, are all artfully handled and used to full effect.
Afterwards, the book is shut. Finished. Still, I felt a little off-kilter for quite a while. The cliche of ‘haunting’ seems invented specifically to describe this book. The story gets under the skin in ways you wouldn't wish on a friend and, like another reviewer had noted, I wouldn't recommend reading it in the midst of a self-doubting episode, that's for sure.
kansass's review against another edition
5.0
Me declaro una fan empedernida de Patricia Highsmith aunque después de una novela suya, siempre tengo que leer algo completamente diferente porque los libros de la Highsmith son claustrofóbicos y te atrapan de tal forma, que al acabarlos, sus personajes y sus ambientes perduran connmigo durante dias y dias sin poder quitartelos de la cabeza. En este caso concreto, el personaje de Edith es en mi opinión su personaje más logrado. Una mujer que no puede gestionar lo que le va deparando la rutina diaria, y poco a poco va construyendo un mundo paralelo ¿dónde está lo real y lo imaginario?? Además, la Highsmith hace una critica social y politica durisima y se carga el sueño americano de un plumazo. Su mejor novela y la más madura.
https://kansasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/11/el-diario-de-edith-de-patricia-highsmith.html
https://kansasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/11/el-diario-de-edith-de-patricia-highsmith.html
embre's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
3.75
ines_al_simoes's review against another edition
dark
tense
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
3.75
aramsamsam's review against another edition
4.0
Familie, Haus in den Suburbs, Garten, Freunde: Edith lebt das perfekte amerikanische Leben. Doch die Fassade bröckelt und mit ihr Ediths Psyche.
Patricia Highsmith ist unbestritten die Königin des psychologischen Thrillers. Ihre Beobachtungen sind so präzise wie schockierend. Dabei ist dieser Roman eher bedrückend als spannend. Meine Begeisterung für The talented Mr. Ripley ist immer noch ungeschlagen. Wenn man aber bedenkt, dass Ediths Tagebuch in der amerikanischen Vorstadtidylle derFünziger und Sechziger spielt, passt der gemächlichere Ton vollkommen. Ein "langsamer" Schocker.
Patricia Highsmith ist unbestritten die Königin des psychologischen Thrillers. Ihre Beobachtungen sind so präzise wie schockierend. Dabei ist dieser Roman eher bedrückend als spannend. Meine Begeisterung für The talented Mr. Ripley ist immer noch ungeschlagen. Wenn man aber bedenkt, dass Ediths Tagebuch in der amerikanischen Vorstadtidylle derFünziger und Sechziger spielt, passt der gemächlichere Ton vollkommen. Ein "langsamer" Schocker.
therainscene's review against another edition
4.0
I read this within a sitting, but that may have been a mistake....It wasn't as fast-paced or obvious about Edith's insanity as I expected, but it was certainly an enjoyable (?) book. Something about how she writes her characters with such description and specificity makes you happily say, "I see myself in some of that character!" Then you think about it some more and are terrified by the notion.
For example, the son is SUCH a scary character, he is teenager-like in his showing of annoyances, but with a dark turn. When the story changed perspectives and he was abandoned by his friend, I thought to myself, "I totally understand that feeling of being ignored by someone who's older." But the way he is is so repulsive that the idea of sharing any experience with him was an awful thought.
For example, the son is SUCH a scary character, he is teenager-like in his showing of annoyances, but with a dark turn. When the story changed perspectives and he was abandoned by his friend, I thought to myself, "I totally understand that feeling of being ignored by someone who's older." But the way he is is so repulsive that the idea of sharing any experience with him was an awful thought.