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A review by the_emas
State of Grace by Joy Williams
2.0
Beautiful prose at times, but also fully undecipherable. Kate's dreamy stream-of-conscious narration in Books I and III is filled with words that aren't words, esoteric allusions, and metaphors straining for meaning. At times there are powerful passages that hit you in the gut, but most of the time reading State of Grace feels like swimming through murky ocean depths.
The third person narration of Book II was a welcome respite from Kate's delusions. The visit from the townsfolk dropping off the family portrait is especially packed with insight into human nature, although this is offset by the much too exaggerated precociousness and vocabulary of 8 year-old Kate.
I'm not sure what I'm supposed to take away or feel after finishing this book, but that's assuredly part of the point. 2.5 stars.
The third person narration of Book II was a welcome respite from Kate's delusions. The visit from the townsfolk dropping off the family portrait is especially packed with insight into human nature, although this is offset by the much too exaggerated precociousness and vocabulary of 8 year-old Kate.
I'm not sure what I'm supposed to take away or feel after finishing this book, but that's assuredly part of the point. 2.5 stars.