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surdiablo's review against another edition
- 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
1.0
This book reeks of misogyny and features a toxic miserable relationship that goes nowhere. He tries his hand at some philosophy and political commentary, which came off as pretentious and r/Im14andthisisdeep material, rather than anything profound. Some of the excessive and distasteful events or descriptions seemed to me as if the author was fulfilling his lascivious fantasies through these characters, or simply being gratuitous. I don't know if something was lost in translation but it became rather unbearable indeed with the constant focus on sex for the majority of the book. I don't mind reading about shitty characters or sex, but the way Kundera handles it and the things he focuses on.. It just rubs me the wrong way if that makes sense... I didn't care much about the characters with their unnatural inner monologue, although Teresa's traumatic upbringing was well-written.
Kundera occasionally draws conclusions by linking unrelated elements, which can seem illogical, even though they're presented as if they naturally fit together. This can leave the reader feeling perplexed often (The relation between Teresa's bowler hat and violence for example). It adds a lot to that pretentiousness I mentioned earlier. The political plot was comparatively enjoyable, but there wasn't enough of it and what existed felt rather basic. I have never been a fan of the author telling me what to think or feel, so that didn't help either. At the end of the day, if you ask me Do you feel like you gained anything reading this book?, my answer would be no. I didn't care for his thoughts or insight, and the parts I didn't hate seem forgettable now after all this time, while the irritation remains.
P.S. Kundera definitely has a poop fetish... Oh, and don't read this book if you haven't read Anna Karenina and don't want its ending spoiled.
Graphic: Animal death, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Moderate: Excrement and War
Minor: Rape and Death of parent
crystalline_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Kundera’s philosophical asides are either intriguing or bizarre. Touching on various topics like kitsch, interpersonal relationships and freedom/distance, body image, the gaze, duality of body/mind, sex and love, synchronicity, et. al., though his insights aren’t particularly novel.
Each of the primary characters seems to be plagued by their unique mixture of some of those questions.
For the story, the plot is non-linear but I found it relatively easy to follow, save for a few dream sequences which it took me awhile to recognize as being dreams. Various events of the Prague Spring and some
communist revolutions play in the background, though the plot otherwise moves pretty slowly. Most of the focus is on the relationships between the characters or their internal reflection.
As for the likeableness of the characters —
Infidelity is a huge theme here with pretty much everyone. Tomas is such an unbearable philanderer that reading passages which focus on him or the relationship between he & Tereza feels tedious and a bit slimy.
The rest have their flaws but seem redeemable. I have heard critiques that the characters, particularly Sabina and Tereza, are flat, but they were actually more interesting to me than Tomas or Franz.
It was an interesting read, varyingly
enjoyable based on the character in whose perspective we’re reading. The style is a little unusual and I wouldn’t recommend it to most people.
Graphic: Infidelity and Excrement
navayiota's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cancer, Sexual assault, Excrement, Car accident, and Alcohol
indebraendt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
Moderate: Misogyny and Excrement
Poop and other fetishesmikarala's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Considering that, I'm kind of surprised to say I actually thought Tereza and Sabina were rendered with quite a lot of respect and thoughtfulness for their individuality, rather than being relegated to being mere sex objects. I often find women written by men, especially in novels where sex is a major topic, can feel quite one-dimensional or objectified. I didn't feel that way at all about Tereza and Sabina. I thought they were both extremely complex and well-written female characters, I would honestly say probably some of my favourite female characters ever written by a male author.
Altogether, an incredibly thoughtful meditation on the human condition, on surviving the everyday indignities associated with our existence and doing your best to find happiness in whatever form you can. Definitely a novel I need to return to and experience again, because I feel like there's so much more to it that I wasn't able to fully appreciate this time. Highly recommend.
Moderate: Animal death and Excrement
Minor: Emotional abuse
lucyatoz's review against another edition
- 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
The lives of the 4 central characters, Tomas, Tereza, Franz and Sabina are complex and complicated with love and infidelity running through the whole story.
With references to sex and with some swearing language throughout, this is heavy read in contrast to its title. It is quite a tragic tale in many ways with moments of lightness spotting along the horizon.
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Excrement, and Suicide attempt
novelyon's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal death, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Car accident, and War
Minor: Medical content
kamila_glow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal death and Excrement
lily_k8y's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
Graphic: Animal death, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Excrement, and Grief