Reviews

Mon cœur à l'étroit by Marie NDiaye

jrrkinittotolkien's review against another edition

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5.0

it’s like living in a 300 page nightmare, like u see someone so shut off and rude and u wonder what made them so hateful and then u just feel bad :(

zukythebookbum's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a struggle. Really, this should have been a DNF, but it was a book I’d been looking forward to reading for literal years so I felt I couldn’t give up on it. I kind of wish this had been a novella, because the beginning and end were good, but the middle really dragged its heels. If it had been shorter I feel I would have liked this a lot more.

vitsa's review

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4.0

From the beginning the book was filled with promise.
I quite liked her style of writing, Nadia was an interesting character and of course the great mystery of why everyone had turned against her and her husband was very intriguing.
I enjoyed reading the book, but I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending. On one hand I can understand why the author ended to book the way she did, it was fitting end to Nadia's journey, but on the other hand it left too many questions unanswered. Some of the more supernatural elements that were introduced towards the end were confusing and not really explained, and more importantly it was very frustrating to come to the end and not find an answer to the main question of the novel.

kinseyelise's review against another edition

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3.0

This was more experimental of a novel than I am used to reading, and I don't think I understood the majority of it. That said, I was intrigued by the story and characters. This was a book club pick, so I'll be interested to hear what others have to say about it.

notasilkycat's review against another edition

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4.0

I went into this reading experience with absolutely wrong expectations so it wasn’t the smooth start at all, I thought of DNF it. I am happy I didn’t.
This is such a bizarre, mesmerizing, claustrophobic, bleak and absurd book that I couldn’t help not liking it.

mcerrin's review against another edition

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2.0

I had such a hard time getting through this. I don't know if it was the translation but the dialogue and style fell flat. I'm confused. It's a mystery I wasn't following for most of the book.

bowden's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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

4.0

villanellemp3's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.25

dreams_of_leander's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious slow-paced

4.0

valealle23's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective fast-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

i have no idea what to feel about this book. first off nadia is so insufferable. at first i agreed w her, why was she being punished? but she doesn’t realize her arrogance and vanity which makes her so unlikeable. as much as i didn’t like nadia this book was very well written. i felt the paranoia and doubt in every page. although it’s never directly stated what makes nadia different, it becomes obvious that it’s her shame for where she comes from and for what other people do that she doesn’t believe is right. this judgement is what sets her apart from others, even though she hasn’t really done anything wrong. i like the ending of the book, though, even tho seeing ange and corrina was super weird? i’m left w so many questions like wtf was that wound and what was in nadia and who tf is noget, but ig that’s part of the book. the characters are unlikeable but the book draws you in anyways. still wtf but good