A review by sherbertwells
Olivia by Dorothy Strachey

emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

A girl reflects on her adolescent infatuation with teacher and its deadly consequences. A slightly more melodramatic (and sapphic) version of Stefan Zweig’s Confusion, i.e. fun, artsy and snappy but not particularly profound for this asexual.

“I think the passion that devoured me at that time was the passion of curiosity. Once, as I was watching her like this, she suddenly opened her eyes and caught me. Her glance held me for a moment, and I was too fascinated to look away. Her glance was piercing, not unkind but terrifying. She was searching me. What did she see?” (31)
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