green_rabbit's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
janessaalexis's review against another edition
3.0
A 3/5 seems generous considering nothing really happens in the story and I was often confused/bored with what the character was talking about.
But there's something sad and lovely about this book too. Maybe that's why I'm bumping my rating up, where otherwise I would've given this a 2/5 stars?
I don't know. I'm so torn. I absolutely want to give this book away right now, but I could see myself picking this up 10 years from today and reading it in a whole new light.
Tough.
But there's something sad and lovely about this book too. Maybe that's why I'm bumping my rating up, where otherwise I would've given this a 2/5 stars?
I don't know. I'm so torn. I absolutely want to give this book away right now, but I could see myself picking this up 10 years from today and reading it in a whole new light.
Tough.
jenowen's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Felt more like a mid life crisis than a book on motherhood. Book was heavy to read and luckily does not reflect my own experiences.
outoftheofficeagain's review against another edition
5.0
Go ahead and add me to the never-ending list of people who have read — and adored — “Motherhood” by Sheila Heti.
We follow the (often) relatable, inner-monologue of a late thirties woman as she navigates the possibility of being a mother, her perception of her own mother and grandmother, and attempts to understand the women in her life (near her own age) who are becoming mothers, alongside the dynamics of her romantic relationship and her creative career. As you can imagine it’s messy and poignant and sad, at times.
Much didn’t apply to me… and won’t to those who fall outside the categories of “want to have kids” and “don’t want to have kids” because this book isn’t about those who have no choice in their own motherhood. It’s more about the ways in which society and family use guilt and tradition to funnel women into certain lives, and choosing not to be a mother is deemed “less than”. But it never condemns motherhood vs not being a mother, or frames either as an absence of anything else, in a bad way.
Side note; I really liked the use of coin-flipping in the narrative, which is a device that added to the poetic flow and philosophical nature of the narrative.
Definitely recommend this one, it’s my favorite Sheila Heti, thus far.
We follow the (often) relatable, inner-monologue of a late thirties woman as she navigates the possibility of being a mother, her perception of her own mother and grandmother, and attempts to understand the women in her life (near her own age) who are becoming mothers, alongside the dynamics of her romantic relationship and her creative career. As you can imagine it’s messy and poignant and sad, at times.
Much didn’t apply to me… and won’t to those who fall outside the categories of “want to have kids” and “don’t want to have kids” because this book isn’t about those who have no choice in their own motherhood. It’s more about the ways in which society and family use guilt and tradition to funnel women into certain lives, and choosing not to be a mother is deemed “less than”. But it never condemns motherhood vs not being a mother, or frames either as an absence of anything else, in a bad way.
Side note; I really liked the use of coin-flipping in the narrative, which is a device that added to the poetic flow and philosophical nature of the narrative.
Definitely recommend this one, it’s my favorite Sheila Heti, thus far.
sukhlovesreading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lindsayreads_theworld's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
- 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
4.5
cornelia333's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Screaming, crying, throwing up. It’s beautiful
sophiaxlm's review against another edition
4.0
母亲的身份如同房间里的大象，对大部分女性来说都是个无法绕开的巨物。因为孩子是实体存在的，是“可视的”成就，而选择不生育的女性则没有可对应“成品”用来展示，于是“不生”成了相对于“生”而言的一个空洞。作者与自己（或许因女性生理机制而导致）的生育冲动之间的拉锯战是一部分女性的矛盾心声，与《成为母亲的选择》这类偏向社会研究类的书不同，《房间》注重的是得出“生孩子不是我的选择”这一结论的过程。在经历了无数患得患失、流泪和争吵之后，作者意识到“作为一名女性，你不能只说你不想要孩子。你得有某种宏大的计划或想法，说明自己不生孩子而要去做什么。你的事业最好是非常伟大的。而且你最好能够令人信服地描述——甚至在没有实现之前——你的人生轨迹会是怎样的。”
isabelangharad's review against another edition
5.0
the best book i have read this year. cannot recommend highly enough.
foulone's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0