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unicornsteak's review against another edition
5.0
Another re-reading. This is the second time and it's even better, obviously, this time around.
calliescoffeecafe's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a surprisingly fast and interesting read. It is also kind of awful and sad to basically read about a woman who is falling apart day by day.
What is with great American fiction and these endings?!
What is with great American fiction and these endings?!
natprince's review against another edition
1.0
I dislike this book for so many reasons, not even worth listing.
sunshinefinch's review against another edition
2.0
It's a very well written book. Despite this it just isn't the type of story I enjoy reading. If you enjoy angst type novels then this is a good book to read but if you like your happy endings stear clear.
cassidylouise96's review against another edition
4.0
Actually one of my favorite books I had to read for school, even though my teacher was feeding me "symbols" that I don't really believe..
paradoksaalsus's review against another edition
2.0
See lugemine venis küll õudsalt. Üllatav oli, et 19. sajandi lõpus avaldati nõnda avameelne teos umbes 60 aastat enne seksuaalrevolutsiooni algust. Stiililt mu jaoks veidi veider teos ja ütlen ausalt, et mulle ta hästi ei istunud, aga teisalt andis ka vajaliku sisendi, miks mõned naised oma kaaslasi petavad ja kuidas asi selleni üldse jõuab.
travelsalongmybookshelf's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Awakening - Kate Chopin
My first read for Victober is complete. This was spur of the moment as I saw this edition in the window of my local Oxfam and I didn’t really know much about it.
It centres on Edna Pontellier, a married woman with two children. They are on vacation on Grand Isle, managed by Madame Lebrun and her sons Robert and Victor.
Edna falls in love with Robert but he runs off to Mexico, sensing their relationship would be doomed.
Edna returns to New Orleans with her family but soon distances herself from them, her children are sent away and her husband leaves travelling. She awakens in many ways, through discovery of painting, friends and simply spending time with herself. She moves out to a bungalow around the corner and has a relationship with Alceé Arobin, and shows herself to have sexual desire.
Robert returns and they declare their love to each other but he then leaves forever, declaring he loves her too much but ashamed of a relationship with a married woman.
Edna in her shock returns to Grand Isle and drowns herself swimming out to sea.
This novella must have been truly shocking at the time of publication in 1899. It shows a woman as a sexual being and with desire, it shows her leaving her family and children to do something for herself and has very differing views to the time on a woman’s role and behaviour. It is one of the first early feminist works.
It will have caused a huge stir I am sure l, for a woman to abandon her husband and children was not considered normal at the time.
The tension ebbed and flowed for me in this read and I enjoyed the latter stages more then the former.
As a piece of early feminist writing it is powerful and I feel paved the way for others to come after her.
I have read since that she did not publish another book after The Awakening, probably because it was seen to go too far at the time. She sadly died only 5 years after it was published and that is really quite upsetting.
alisarae's review against another edition
5.0
2nd read: a decade after I read this the first time. A decade of feminist reading ingested. I understood so much more it was almost too obvious.
graciegrace1178's review against another edition
3.0
Not really my cuppa tea plot-wise or style-wise. Cool from a cultural movement perspective, though! Way to go, Chopin, in reminding people that women are actual real human beings who are fallible and who have an inner life all their own! Nice!!