Reviews

Begravningsståt by Jean Genet, Anders Bodegård

spacecyanide's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.5

jesuisgourde's review against another edition

5.0

For some reason I thought I wouldn't like this one as much as I've loved The Thief's Journal or Miracle of the Rose or Our Lady of The Flowers, but wow, this is an absolute masterpiece. The depths of grief and love and intimacy and betrayal and existentialism are all explored in this in such incredible ways. As always, Genet's ubiquitous flower symbolism goes through many shades, but I think this novel might be his most romantic. And Genet's usually stream-of-consciousness style is so extreme in this novel, it forces you to experience the erratic nature of grief and memory and symbolic association alongside Genet, and yet as with all his novels, from the distance he always remains. I get the sense, when reading Genet, of a more extreme version of the end of this novel: someone spilling all their most intimate thoughts and feelings and secrets, but doing so in a language you aren't very fluent in, and while sitting across the room from you, so that while you get the sense of the intense emotion, you are not privy to all of the context, all the exact associations, the full context of what is being felt and described. I absolutely adore Genet, and I'm fascinated by him, and I think this was my favourite of his novels.

illymally's review against another edition

3.0

What a trip. Gorgeous, each sentence a work of art, yet so cumbersome to read as a whole... it begs reading again but it's so abstract I'm exhausted. It is brilliant in bringing together death and love, horror and beauty. All the while fitting erotic fantasy into every possible train of thought. But a chapter break here and there would have made it more comprehensible.

zacharyfoote's review against another edition

3.0

its parts are better than the (w)hole.

jnjones's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

arpharrison's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

annithethief's review against another edition

5.0

This was probably one of the most intense and emotionally exhaustive reading experiences I've ever had so I really must go over this book again in order to analyze and review it.

greer_parker's review against another edition

So far... I'm just not sure. I have read several books in between what would be chapters of this book, if there were actually chapters. That might be the problem. I hate no chapters...

bryguy82's review against another edition

5.0

Favorite Genet novel! Very moving and twisted

austindoherty's review against another edition

5.0

I think there is a temptation to say that Genet turns things upside down, but if that were the case, how would he enjoy his time under the boot?

A profoundly evil, perfect book. Hitler eats ass!