plutosorbit's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting premise, written quite coldly. I think the time jumps had me confused at times. I liked the first half but she lost me a bit during the 2nd tbh.
emilyb99's review against another edition
5.0
I devoured this book in 1 sitting, it’s beautifully written and easy to read - written in short vignettes that teeter totter between her childhood where she explores how her multi-ethnic family made her feel like she never belonged, compared to making sense of herself, love, lust, nightlife and drugs as a lesbian in Paris in the 80s.
sadiereadsagain's review against another edition
4.0
So, I'll start this review off by saying that I'm confused. I read this as a memoir, the blurb on the book led me to believe that...but I see others referring to it as either a novel or a "fictional autobiography." I'm reviewing this as the memoir I read it to be, but I gather that "auto-fiction" is typical of this author's style. I don't think it will influence my review, but it might be worth pointing out the ambiguity for other readers in case it influences their take on it.
I thought this was a really fascinating book. It is set partly in the Algeria of Nina's childhood, as civil war broke out, and partly in 80's Paris as Nina is discovering her sexuality and navigating the gay scene at that time. Both of these settings see Nina addressing issues of identity - as a French-Algerian born to a white mother and black father, Nina feels neither fully of an Algeria ridding itself of French rule, nor of a family that she is very aware of being "other" from in France. As a young, gay woman, Nina strikes up relationships and acquaintances with other women at a nightclub called the Katmandu, whilst facing her own homophobias and trying to feel comfortable in herself. The book also looks at her mother's experiences, of having a mixed-race marriage and how her family responded to that, and episodes of sexual abuse in both her early life and as the catalyst for the family fleeing Nigeria. Nina spends the book trying to know herself, and know about her place in the world.
I really enjoyed the writing in this book, and appreciated what I now suppose was the fictionalisation of certain aspects to create a really solid narrative. The writing is crisp, but still insightful. Neither timeline was grounded in a life experience or time in history that I know a lot about, and I am keen to read more of her books to explore this more.
I was gifted a NetGalley of this title by Penguin UK in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
I thought this was a really fascinating book. It is set partly in the Algeria of Nina's childhood, as civil war broke out, and partly in 80's Paris as Nina is discovering her sexuality and navigating the gay scene at that time. Both of these settings see Nina addressing issues of identity - as a French-Algerian born to a white mother and black father, Nina feels neither fully of an Algeria ridding itself of French rule, nor of a family that she is very aware of being "other" from in France. As a young, gay woman, Nina strikes up relationships and acquaintances with other women at a nightclub called the Katmandu, whilst facing her own homophobias and trying to feel comfortable in herself. The book also looks at her mother's experiences, of having a mixed-race marriage and how her family responded to that, and episodes of sexual abuse in both her early life and as the catalyst for the family fleeing Nigeria. Nina spends the book trying to know herself, and know about her place in the world.
I really enjoyed the writing in this book, and appreciated what I now suppose was the fictionalisation of certain aspects to create a really solid narrative. The writing is crisp, but still insightful. Neither timeline was grounded in a life experience or time in history that I know a lot about, and I am keen to read more of her books to explore this more.
I was gifted a NetGalley of this title by Penguin UK in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
robbo13's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
emathecrow's review against another edition
4.0
TW: viol et suicide
Récit partagé entre son enfance, elle-même partagée entre la France et l’Algérie, et ses 18 ans à Paris, lorsqu’elle se rend au Kat pour rencontrer des femmes et son homophobie internalisée.
Les sujets sont beaux et durs. Les assassinats en Algérie et la peur d’être les prochains. La solitude de l’homosexualité à 18 ans, les soirées pour l’oublier.
J’ai beaucoup aimé, malgré parfois une incompréhension quant à la temporalité du récit de son enfance, qui n’est pas respectée. On débute lorsqu’elle a 14 ans puis l’on se rend compte qu’elle n’en a plus que 4 maintenant.
Récit partagé entre son enfance, elle-même partagée entre la France et l’Algérie, et ses 18 ans à Paris, lorsqu’elle se rend au Kat pour rencontrer des femmes et son homophobie internalisée.
Les sujets sont beaux et durs. Les assassinats en Algérie et la peur d’être les prochains. La solitude de l’homosexualité à 18 ans, les soirées pour l’oublier.
J’ai beaucoup aimé, malgré parfois une incompréhension quant à la temporalité du récit de son enfance, qui n’est pas respectée. On débute lorsqu’elle a 14 ans puis l’on se rend compte qu’elle n’en a plus que 4 maintenant.
atlantisblauw's review against another edition
2.0
I was looking forward to this. I love France, I wrestled with my sexual preferences, I'm interested in identity. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
I liked the opening sentence: "I wonder who in this crowd is newly in love, who has just been left and who has walked out without a word, who is happy and who sad, who is fearful and who forging confidently ahead, who is hoping for a brighter future." Not a bad start. Sounds like anything could happen, like the main character is open to new experiences, aware of her surroundings, connected to the world or at least looking for a connection.
Alas! The rest of the book continues with this type of prose that is completely devoid of emotion. The chapters are nothing more than snapshots, jumping from 1972 to 1982 and from Paris to Algiers and back. We're only in the mind of the narrator, who doesn't seem to talk to a lot of people and likes even less people. The only one she writes about with affection is her mother. She doesn't seem to have a personality other than being ashamed of her sexuality and there's no character development to speak of.
The only thing I found interesting didn't have much to do with the book as a work of art. The main character is afraid of contracting AIDS from women, doesn't even want to touch the razor blade of a woman she's seeing out of fear. For us (in this part of the world), now, it's so easy to get tested and we have a lot of knowledge about how you get HIV. It made me remember that for a long time, it was actually really scary.
Anyway, don't waste your precious time on this book.
I liked the opening sentence: "I wonder who in this crowd is newly in love, who has just been left and who has walked out without a word, who is happy and who sad, who is fearful and who forging confidently ahead, who is hoping for a brighter future." Not a bad start. Sounds like anything could happen, like the main character is open to new experiences, aware of her surroundings, connected to the world or at least looking for a connection.
Alas! The rest of the book continues with this type of prose that is completely devoid of emotion. The chapters are nothing more than snapshots, jumping from 1972 to 1982 and from Paris to Algiers and back. We're only in the mind of the narrator, who doesn't seem to talk to a lot of people and likes even less people. The only one she writes about with affection is her mother. She doesn't seem to have a personality other than being ashamed of her sexuality and there's no character development to speak of.
The only thing I found interesting didn't have much to do with the book as a work of art. The main character is afraid of contracting AIDS from women, doesn't even want to touch the razor blade of a woman she's seeing out of fear. For us (in this part of the world), now, it's so easy to get tested and we have a lot of knowledge about how you get HIV. It made me remember that for a long time, it was actually really scary.
Anyway, don't waste your precious time on this book.
martefosse's review against another edition
dårlig oversettelse, kjedelig skrevet på norsk
alexisnwong's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0