Reviews

Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov

fierymoon's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

меланхолично и носталгично писане, комбинирано с размита сюжетна линия, с интересна концепция за миналото и философската му интерпретация, изпълнена с лирически отклонения, които представляват спомените на авторът. това е първата книга, която чета, която няма стриктна сюжетна линия, и честно казано, бях объркана в по-голямата част от времето. преди да се поразровя в интернет пространството и да разбера, че тази разпръснатост и това нестрого спазване на сюжетната линия са типични черти на писането на господинов, си мислех, че тази книга няма и грам смисъл, в отношение на строежа.

tldr: не беше каквото очаквах, но не останах разочарована, в интерес на истината

theblueforest's review against another edition

funny 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

mike_c's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

brneely's review

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

adelaideandart's review against another edition

5.0

Normally I prefer books that are rich in plot so I was surprised that I liked Time Shelter so much that I rated it 5 stars. Don’t get me wrong, the book has some sort of plot but there are also reflections on past and future, time and memory in there that aren’t relevant to the plot. Because of that, Time Shelter reminded me of Flights by Olga Tokarczuk. The language is beautiful and very poetic, the Polish translation by Magdalena Pytlak is wonderful, time and memory are themes that fascinate me so it was a pleasure to read the author’s reflections about it. It’s as if this book was written with me in mind. Absolutely loved it. (Warning! Spoiler: also the idea that each European country holds a referendum about which decade in the past it should get back to is such a good concept oh my god)

dupeskara's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

"басиии тъпата книга" бих казал аз, сега, преди и след като я прочета... скучноста на българската литература е тук на гости. Не мога да повярвам че има награда, защо? Питам аз. И няма отговор. Чужденците обичат когато се говори за изтока като диктаторска колония - социализъм и комунизъм, за ушите им това е нещо незнайно. За нас е част от живота, която няма как да се махне. 
Разочарован съм от това колко е скучна тази книга, и колко е очевидна (какво имаш впредвид че не знаеш че това е фикция?? толкова ли са прости българите в очите на другите). Точно когато книгата става интересна, тя решава да се изпикае (с изнинение) на мечтите и надеждите ти и се чувстваш така все едно си в час по литература - или история - и слушаш за да нямаш 2 на следващия тест. За това просто го чета докрая, за да докажа че е зле, не съм особа, аз съм един селянин. И не ми харесва. Крайтейшън.

sojorom's review against another edition

dark reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

hollyrebecca's review against another edition

challenging informative mysterious reflective medium-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia

beesleybooks's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.5

Start of 2024 - London. Incredibly powerful reminder that we all exist in our spheres of time 

ruiponce's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective

3.5

I don't know what to make of this. Certainly an unusual book by a very intelligent author. The premise intrigued me, but the book didn't really stick to it. The first and the last third of "Time Shelter" consist of notes/reflections/essays on the human understanding of time, the past and memories. I often found myself wanting to write down and save some of the paragraphs, because they were thought-provoking or really struck a chord. That's what I loved. The middle part of the book follows something like a plot, but the author lost me here. He describes the developments in Bulgaria, later all of Europe, in great detail without going anywhere. The possible scenario with all the political and societal implications is interesting, but I missed the psychological perspective and the connection to the underlying topic: Why do people long so much for a romanticized past? What happens once they realize the past wasn't so different in daily dull life? Why does everybody just follow along and why is there no uproar?
In conclusion: food for thought, but no plot and at times confusing, when the author breaks the fourth wall.