habertoes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
samarakroeger's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I think Sheila Heti just isn't really for me. I read Motherhood earlier this year, which I was also pretty meh about. In both books I did NOT vibe with the heavy religious themes and spirituality included. I don't know, her books make me think, but not really in a good way. This one I also found kinda boring and tuned out of it frequently. It's a weird-ass book about losing your dad (kind of). Heti just seems so "fake deep" to me and is trying so hard to be intellectual without really saying anything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
woolgatherer's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
2.75
Well, this was a short and deceptively simplistic read. You don’t need to use overly complicated language to dive deep into philosophical themes, as Heti proves in Pure Colour. I think what was a miss for me, though, was I wasn’t quite sure what point she wanted to get across, or if there even was a point, considering that there isn’t really a plot (a lot of fragmented writing, which I don’t mind), nor was there much character development (which I kind of minded). It admittedly reached a point where everything felt superficial in the book’s attempt to be profound. And yet, I kept reading, in part because I found the language engaging.
One thing I can say with certainty is I was very weirded out by the incestuous nature of the narrator and her dead father’s relationship? I don’t know, but it was definitely not on my bingo card to read that his spirit ejaculated into her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Incest
savvylit's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
How to describe this incredibly unique book? A transcendent fable. A celebration of mortality. A bizarre meditation on grief. A guidebook for humanity. A loving ode to trees. A manifesto on the necessity of art. A novel filled with truth and clarity. Unforgettable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Incest
redrosemoth's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Incest, Toxic relationship, and Suicide
laran_s's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
I read this in one sitting start to finish - couldn't put it down. Thought-provoking & imaginative, powerfully emotional, and beautifully written...this was my kind of book.
Where did those last 0.25 stars go? That would be the mentions of
Where did those last 0.25 stars go? That would be the mentions of
Spoiler
her father's spirit ejaculating into her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Incest and Stalking
verynicebook's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
my_plant_library's review against another edition
challenging
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Suicide and Alcohol
wiegold's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Toes the line between pretention and profundity that it is actually baffling. There were occasions where I had to debate with myself whether I was actually enjoying reading this book, but then a beautiful passage would wash over me and I was engrossed again. The on-off flitting of my understanding of it is true to the book itself too, being framed by a narrator (and author, given the passing of Heti's father co-inciding with the writing of it) so stricken with love and grief that the early-middle portion of her life is captured in a tangential interlude, her conciousness trapped in a "leaf" alongside her perception of her dead father. The theological and philosophical accompaniments to the throughline are gorgeous, richly written and though slightly muddled, I think their most 'stumblingest' moments only reinforce Mira's deepest convictions as she tries to explain away the reasons she is unhappy with her life. The realisation that the happiest parts of life are those caused by things often inconsequential, like the leaves on trees, and the colour of lampshades, and shopping for chocolates, and not fulfilling some percieved life goal afforded to you by your "God", whatever that may be, is one that I always love to experience and reading about it always makes me so happy, no matter how jumbled in confusion and grief it may be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Incest