little_worm's review
3.0
A friend recommended that I read the short story "Mr. Morning" and while trying to found a copy of it online we found that it, along with two more of Hustvedt's short stories, had been incorporated into this novel. Mr. Morning comprises the first chapter, and I felt was by far the most engaging part of the novel, if only because the titular character himself is so intriguing, and the idea and motivations for his project give pause for thought.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel as though the rest of the novel matched up to this beginning. It all felt like fiction: the dialogue did not read as real words, instead each person able to articulate with incredible clarity and thought; the characters themselves felt to me almost as though there were made of composite ideas that have been played out before, different aspect layered up in a way that, while not whole derivative or clichéd, are hardly original or believable.
My main beef was with the narrator, I felt as though her words and actions were to wizened, too introspective thoughtful and calculated for someone of her age. At the same time, she felt incredibly shallow and very little was presented about her outside of migraines, men, and literature. There were small threads that could have been interesting perhaps if more attention had been paid to them, but that was sadly not the case.
Going into this knowing that it was composed of a number of short stories, I felt as though that was glaringly obvious with the chapters feeling isolated, the only connections being a few characters like Stephen. In that sense, it didn't even feel like a novel, but perhaps I'm shaded by prior knowledge.
In short, while Mr. Morning is a lovely read and a lovely opening, the rest of it is all a bit of a damp squib.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel as though the rest of the novel matched up to this beginning. It all felt like fiction: the dialogue did not read as real words, instead each person able to articulate with incredible clarity and thought; the characters themselves felt to me almost as though there were made of composite ideas that have been played out before, different aspect layered up in a way that, while not whole derivative or clichéd, are hardly original or believable.
My main beef was with the narrator, I felt as though her words and actions were to wizened, too introspective thoughtful and calculated for someone of her age. At the same time, she felt incredibly shallow and very little was presented about her outside of migraines, men, and literature. There were small threads that could have been interesting perhaps if more attention had been paid to them, but that was sadly not the case.
Going into this knowing that it was composed of a number of short stories, I felt as though that was glaringly obvious with the chapters feeling isolated, the only connections being a few characters like Stephen. In that sense, it didn't even feel like a novel, but perhaps I'm shaded by prior knowledge.
In short, while Mr. Morning is a lovely read and a lovely opening, the rest of it is all a bit of a damp squib.
maermaer's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
inaguillotine's review
2.0
I really hoped that I will fall in love with this book. But my hope began to vanish with every page. I've read a bit about Siri Hustvedt, and I am really all about the literature that is trying to present the female POV. But this was just a bunch of old cliches about students, who are trying to "discover themselves". Group of people, that believes that they experience things "deeper". Worse version of "The Bell Jar". I do understand the whole concept of seeing and experiencing, nevertheless I do believe that the execution of that idea was shallow. The way the main character, Iris, feels about the men in her life, made me cringe a bit. She reads a lot, she has no money, she is very dedicated to her studies, but it seems to me like the only thing she is actually concerned about is the men in her life. I wanted to love it, but it is one of the worst books that I've read this year. However, I'll still give Hustvedt a shot and try to read something more recent of hers.
lauramolenaar's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
andforgotten's review
5.0
I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. It's been a while since I've read a whole novel in a day, and The Blindfold has made me do just that. It's intriguing, fascinating, as well as absolutely haunting and beautifully written. The story sucked me in and I pictured the scenes in my head so easily.
Definitely looking forward to discussing it at university.
Definitely looking forward to discussing it at university.
bookhouseboi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
patheticfallacy17's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
beltorres91's review
5.0
Wow! This was a different reading experience, I can't even explain it. It's excellent!