A review by cielllo
Ararat by Louise Glück
4.0
there's something eschatological about this.
so deeply personal, the clarity with which louise works through loss, mourning, and family relations really struck me as unique. loved 'the untrustworthy speaker' in relation to the autobiographical contents.
to clean out the inscriptions of the family graves they use handkerchiefs: wiping out cemetery dirt almost equated as an act to wiping away tears. death in life.
but also life in death: another theme that struck me was the impotency and immobility of women in the shadow of the deceased father. "they both see the house as his true grave" sums up this notion of the widows as living dead, alive but buried, muted, incapable to act.
'birthday', 'celestial music' and 'first memory' are some personal favourites here.
so deeply personal, the clarity with which louise works through loss, mourning, and family relations really struck me as unique. loved 'the untrustworthy speaker' in relation to the autobiographical contents.
to clean out the inscriptions of the family graves they use handkerchiefs: wiping out cemetery dirt almost equated as an act to wiping away tears. death in life.
but also life in death: another theme that struck me was the impotency and immobility of women in the shadow of the deceased father. "they both see the house as his true grave" sums up this notion of the widows as living dead, alive but buried, muted, incapable to act.
'birthday', 'celestial music' and 'first memory' are some personal favourites here.