lozzage's review against another edition
2.0
I was highly confused during the majority of this book, probably as a result of my own naivety to the topic. however, the book was sufficiently ghostly to give goosebumps, and had a sweet ending.
vitsa's review against another edition
4.0
I am not sure if books of this kind have a particular name, but I have come across a few written in this style and generally find them very enjoyable. This is the kind of book that gives you pieces of stories that slowly merge together until finally converging to form a coherent picture.
I enjoyed the process and all the crazy coincidences being developed and revealed from different sides. I did feel a little lost at times however. This is quite a short book and I feel like it could have done with a tiny bit more development of characters. There was quite a broad cast and even at the very end I was just about keeping them straight in my head.
I also feel that my absolute and utter lack of knowledge of Angolan history made me lose out on an important dimension to this book, and again while the novel more or less shapes out the events of the revolution and aftermath I would have very much appreciated a bit more detail and hand-holing for the uninitiated.
Overall, enjoyable read, but would have liked a bit more.
I enjoyed the process and all the crazy coincidences being developed and revealed from different sides. I did feel a little lost at times however. This is quite a short book and I feel like it could have done with a tiny bit more development of characters. There was quite a broad cast and even at the very end I was just about keeping them straight in my head.
I also feel that my absolute and utter lack of knowledge of Angolan history made me lose out on an important dimension to this book, and again while the novel more or less shapes out the events of the revolution and aftermath I would have very much appreciated a bit more detail and hand-holing for the uninitiated.
Overall, enjoyable read, but would have liked a bit more.
marianapemartins's review against another edition
4.0
"se, dormindo, sonhamos dormir, podemos, despertos, acordar dentro de uma realidade mais lúcida?"
ritarolomorais's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
reedread's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
I feel really bad giving it such a low rating because I genuinely don't think that it's a bad book, perhaps it just wasn't for me. I feel the story that was suggested on the blurb really was only a small part of this book, and I don't think that story got enough time in the book to be fully fleshed out. Like I get why you'd want to write about lots of different kinds of people, but Ludo's story could have been the entirety of this book and I think it may have been better. Saying that I found the different stories interesting... maybe it could have been formatted as clear short stories? Just wasn't the book I thought it would be.
dnvrdnvr's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Racial slurs
Moderate: Racism, Domestic abuse, and War
Minor: Torture
readbynorah's review against another edition
4.0
"Monsters, show me the monsters: these people out on the street. My people."
A journey through post-colonial Angola, A General Theory of Oblivion, centres around agoraphobic Ludo, who decides to brick herself in her home to shield herself from the armed conflicts ensuing around her. It's composed through diary entries, poems, flashes into the lives of connected characters and Ludo's dwelling in her home.
This book is a great introduction for readers unfamiliar with Angola's history. It's a short and insightful read, told through a compelling narrative that is sure to keep your attention. Although Ludo is the main character, the book weaves through the viewpoints of a handful of various characters. Hence, it primarily depicts Angola's independence rather than a deep dive into the characters. This fact causes them to appear shallow, although I believe it's appropriate for the narrative Agualusa has chosen.
Another thing I enjoyed about the book is Agualusa's writing. It's poetic, enhanced through the different text types utilised throughout the book. Although he uses lyricism, Agualusas's writing is concise and maintains a pleasant flow of pages.
I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction and appreciates eclectic main characters.
superlamy's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
rebekahshipley's review against another edition
1.0
??? Took me a week to read such a small book and honestly I should have dnf’d it. I don’t think that was proof read by an editor. I did only pay £3 for it. Could have bought some bad coffee and it would have been better.