A review by yarnofariadne
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

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

3.25

SpoilerI have complicated feelings about this book. Knowing it's written by a white woman who was born in the West Indies makes all the interactions between Antoinette and the Black people around her really, really uncomfortable; while on the one hand I can see why narratively Antoinette must be out of place even at home, it doesn't feel like the text recognises that presenting Antoinette as the pure, set-upon heroine who was unfairly persecuted by evil, nasty Black people is extremely gross. And knowing that Antoinette's position is what Rhys's was makes this feel like Rhys is just...wildly racist. I'm not necessarily opposed to Antoinette being depicted as a ~Problematic Person~ but I don't think the text thinks it's doing that; I think the intention was to present Antoinette as a persecuted innocent, and that's not the reality of the Antoinette on the page. I am glad to report that Rochester is still the worst!! And god, some of the imagery in this book is really heart-wrenchingly stunning. The use of the haunted text, the callbacks, the symbolism is all absolutely stunning and I am in love with it. But man, it felt bad to read sometimes.
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