makikaze's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
thoreautigliano's review
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is an incredibly difficult book, difficult in the ways that people are difficult. Told through a series of letters, which we are told can be read in any order, the book details what I would call a breakdown.
Our main narrator, Zoe, is going through some really messy feelings, a lot of them at startingly speed and varying levels of coherency. Overall, I liked it. There is a lot going on within it, good luck piecing together a full picture of things, but what makes it so engaging is how real so much of it feels. She is talking through so much, gender, sexuality, love, death, responsibility; the kind of things you think about when you're in your 20s. A lot of that circles the proverbial drain, coming in and out of focus, shifting across borders in logic. Like I said it's really messy, but a lot of that works towards establishing an overall mood, and it is one that I can find myself sympathizing with and relating to throughout. It is not an easy read for a lot of those reasons, also because it is much looser in its construction, but it has a really intense impact nonetheless.
Our main narrator, Zoe, is going through some really messy feelings, a lot of them at startingly speed and varying levels of coherency. Overall, I liked it. There is a lot going on within it, good luck piecing together a full picture of things, but what makes it so engaging is how real so much of it feels. She is talking through so much, gender, sexuality, love, death, responsibility; the kind of things you think about when you're in your 20s. A lot of that circles the proverbial drain, coming in and out of focus, shifting across borders in logic. Like I said it's really messy, but a lot of that works towards establishing an overall mood, and it is one that I can find myself sympathizing with and relating to throughout. It is not an easy read for a lot of those reasons, also because it is much looser in its construction, but it has a really intense impact nonetheless.
emendelowitz's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.0
xengisa's review
3.0
I liked letter nineteen:
I won’t let you go. I will try my best to get stronger and so you have no right to grow weak. How could you bear to destroy me?
I won’t let you go. I will try my best to get stronger and so you have no right to grow weak. How could you bear to destroy me?
bailanlala's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.5
祝她安息
this was the first novel i had read in Chinese language, and i'm very glad that for my first Chinese piece of writing i could read something by qiu miaojin. i had read the english translation of notes of a crocodile the year beforehand which left a deep impression on me, and this book was no different. knowing how qiu's life ended in tragedy situates her semi-autobiographical writing, and the blur between what is real and what is fiction makes this piece so tragic and difficult to read. very glad that qiu left these notes behind and that we have the chance to construct a history of chinese lesbianism, just wish she was still with us to share in it. it is so striking how lesbian angst and yearning resonates across generations and across languages. may she rest in peace.
this was the first novel i had read in Chinese language, and i'm very glad that for my first Chinese piece of writing i could read something by qiu miaojin. i had read the english translation of notes of a crocodile the year beforehand which left a deep impression on me, and this book was no different. knowing how qiu's life ended in tragedy situates her semi-autobiographical writing, and the blur between what is real and what is fiction makes this piece so tragic and difficult to read. very glad that qiu left these notes behind and that we have the chance to construct a history of chinese lesbianism, just wish she was still with us to share in it. it is so striking how lesbian angst and yearning resonates across generations and across languages. may she rest in peace.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
rainyreadss's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
vapourwavey's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
kcnoun's review
probably the best thing i've read all year while also being one of the most challenging and perhaps the single darkest pieces of writing i've ever encountered in a way that makes it truly impossible to rate or think too much about
ellieeeeeee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
heartbreaking and oh so relatable