Reviews

Red Doc> by Anne Carson

grayjay's review

3.0

Here we find the characters of Carson's "Autobiography of Red", now middle-aged, with different names, reunited after a long lapse in time. I have a few thoughts. I felt that this time around, any connection to the mythical figures these characters were first based on has been abandoned, as has any development of her characters from the first book. I understand that the first book was about two youths exploring a complicated emotional and physical relationship, and now we're dealing with two fairly broken middle-aged men, but they characters were pretty unrecognizable from their younger selves. What then is the point if we cannot follow the growth of the characters? Why make this a sequel at all?

murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

The language was beautiful, but I found the storyline harder to follow than I did in ‘Autobiography of Red’. 

natsumiburde's review

reflective medium-paced

4.0

finalgirlfall's review against another edition

4.0

mothers don't come around again in spring.

eliocean's review against another edition

4.5

G (geryon), I love you: we are the same. thoroughly enjoyed the Oxen herd imagery, Io is so endearing and soothing. I felt like I was out of my depth at times, I'm not sure my brain is quite this synced or clever just yet

dars's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

mayamaynot's review

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

• 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

3.0

coriandercilantro's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Alcoholism

mol_iver's review

4.0

“if prose is a house, poetry is a man on fire running quite fast through it.”

indeed!!! this one was a little big-brained for me, will revisit in the future.

lattelibrarian's review against another edition

4.0

What a strange and beautiful sequel written by a strange and beautiful author.  Continuing her retelling of Geryon and Herakles from The Autobiography of Red, the two reunite with the help of a mutual friend, and must come to terms with the fact that their past lives and myths will forever haunt them and their interactions. 

Told in verse and narrative and drama, this book interweaves a stunning story about friendship, romance, death, and Proust.  Are the three as intertwined as they believe they are?  What exactly is circumstance and not?  And what does it mean to live past their myth?

Completely different than anything else I've read and absolutely haunting. 

Review cross-listed here!