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spideog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's deeply flawed and very of it's time but there is so much that reflects back the present. The feminism is outdated and yet still we can find so much that is still relevant, battles we're still fighting. The characters' relationships with communism are interesting both from a historical perspective and also in how much can still describe leftist groups today.
I think I'm going to miss having this book to read.
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual content, War, and Classism
annieogg's review
- 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
2.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, and Racism
belovedsnail's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Racism and Sexual content
carlton's review
- 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
4.25
Outside of the complexity of the characters themselves, Anna being the only one I have the energy to try to "name" in such detail (more phrasing borrowed from the character's own very defined speech patterns), this book tackles 3 main issues in my opinion: relationships (with others and the self), men vs women, and communism in the 50s. The communism representation was particularly interesting for me as it came from an angle I had never seen. It focuses a lot on the dissatisfaction of those within the party itself as they grapple with the ideals that they entered the party with vs the reality of what the party has become and the atrocities which have been committed in its name. The other two themes were more relevant overall though and therefore a bit more complex, so I won't go into detail here.
The negatives for me were mostly the length and the structure. It is easily the longest book I have ever read, not by page count, but by word count. If they used a more standard font size, this book would easily hit 1000+ pages. The structure, while deeply unique, clever, and ambitious, it heavily affected the pacing at times in rather negative ways. There are no real chapters, and how it is otherwise divided up leaves it with sections that range from anywhere from 2-3 pages to 70+, and certain notebook sections can be a bit mind-numbing to get through. It is also good to note this is a very straight white story. The representations of Africans and gay people, while showing more thought than the average white novel for the time, definitely have some issues. However, the Lessing does at least seem to be aware of Anna's/other characters' ignorance and prejudice, as well as her own, which is displayed in various ways, even if she doesn't quite know the best way to deal with it, which is actually pretty consistent with just about everything else these characters are going through.
They think and think and think and still have no idea what the hell is going on. I can relate.
4.25/5
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Suicide
waybeyondblue's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Incest, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, and War
oksi's review
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Homophobia and Incest
oksi's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Incest, and Racism