Reviews

L'altro nome. Settologia I-II, by Jon Fosse

corvidquest's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective slow-paced

4.0

lisarisen's review against another edition

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challenging reflective 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

4.25

dw_hanna's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • 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? It's complicated

5.0


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momey's review against another edition

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5.0

i really loved this. author and translator -- wonderful

kimplane's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

5.0

tchubaruba's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

2.5

softasbeets's review against another edition

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challenging emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated

5.0

marcusgt's review against another edition

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

5.0

whizbangdebris's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • 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

The hypnotic prose felt like when you can't remember long parts of a drive - I was aware the whole time I was reading but couldn't remember how I came to be at many scenes.  

The writing is intentionally repetitive which I thought would be a drag to read, instead, it reads like a meditation. The slowness and stillness relaxes so that you feel like a witness instead of a reader. Fosse's writing is sparse in description but the slow and repetitive nature made me form very visual scenes in my mind. 

The book centers around themes of identity, meaning and religion. How do the body and soul go together, the writer asks and in fact, the book shifts between the narrator and others and their physical and spiritual sense during different "lives". 
Complicated to explain but surprisingly fast to read once you settle in with the cadence. 

Unlike anything I've ever read, reading this felt like a long, dark, still, snowy night in Norway. 

Still and slow. Meditative and ruminating. Best described by the repetitive variations in the book of ..."I think ...".