A review by spiralnode
Reeds in the Wind by Grazia Deledda
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Grazia Deledda is fairly unknown for a Nobel laureate, and I understand that this novel, written about halfway along her career, is representative of her work. It is a first read of her's for me, and I was excited for the Sardinian landscapes to come alive in my mind through what was meant to be an atmospheric and lyrical prose.
In terms of plot, we follow Efix, a servant of the three sisters Noemi, Esther and Ruth, who are no longer wealthy at present. They are still respected within their community, but considered spinsters, as they have been gradually isolating themselves. This has been the consequence of their fourth sister running away when young, an event that the family has never recovered from. With the son of the fourth sister now and adult, he wishes to come visit, and it's this event that will unleash facing the past, as Efix puts him on a pedestal as their protector even before meeting him, yet the sisters dread the event.
I thought the plot sounded a bit similar to that of 'I Capture the Castle' by Dodie Smith, which I haven't read but seems to also be about a family who now lives in a ruined estate. The characters and the setting are quite different, but as the context was presented it seemed like a similar starting point.
Yet here, I realised I wasn't all that interested in either the plot or the characters. What carried the story for me was this Sardinian painting of reeds, elevation, narrow paths through the mountains, local embroideries, and of course the mention of many superstitions that the villagers believed in. It is truly lyrical and the prose is beautiful yet easy to parse. I read this in Italian, and I occasionally had to look words up in a dictionary, yet I was still absolutely amazed by the depictions of nature.
But the plot and the characters read very dated to me. Several things irked me which I know were prevalent during these times in the early 20th century, so I know it's not the author, it just makes it a story not quite for me. For example, when everything went wrong all the characters went to church and prayed. Religion was a lifeboat, and it's something I still see in societies were only the elderly attend mass. None of the characters were well-contoured, they seemed almost fable-like, there to deliver a point, rather than have a personality. They were each distinguished by this single role they had to play - Efix the loyal helper, Giacinto the impulsive youth, Naomi who's still got it, Esther the voice of reason and Ruth the matriarch who wants things to stay exactly as they are. There's little you find out about them beyond this, so it's difficult to carry your interest through the book.
And the plot revolves so much on social obligations and classes, such as who marries who, who is it a better deal to marry, how you are perceived by society. As a teenager I used to be amused by novels of manners, but now they are just outdated, cringy and frustrating to me.
There's excellent writing here, so I'd like to explore more of Grazia Deledda's bibliography, but this one wasn't for me.
In terms of plot, we follow Efix, a servant of the three sisters Noemi, Esther and Ruth, who are no longer wealthy at present. They are still respected within their community, but considered spinsters, as they have been gradually isolating themselves. This has been the consequence of their fourth sister running away when young, an event that the family has never recovered from. With the son of the fourth sister now and adult, he wishes to come visit, and it's this event that will unleash facing the past, as Efix puts him on a pedestal as their protector even before meeting him, yet the sisters dread the event.
I thought the plot sounded a bit similar to that of 'I Capture the Castle' by Dodie Smith, which I haven't read but seems to also be about a family who now lives in a ruined estate. The characters and the setting are quite different, but as the context was presented it seemed like a similar starting point.
Yet here, I realised I wasn't all that interested in either the plot or the characters. What carried the story for me was this Sardinian painting of reeds, elevation, narrow paths through the mountains, local embroideries, and of course the mention of many superstitions that the villagers believed in. It is truly lyrical and the prose is beautiful yet easy to parse. I read this in Italian, and I occasionally had to look words up in a dictionary, yet I was still absolutely amazed by the depictions of nature.
But the plot and the characters read very dated to me. Several things irked me which I know were prevalent during these times in the early 20th century, so I know it's not the author, it just makes it a story not quite for me. For example, when everything went wrong all the characters went to church and prayed. Religion was a lifeboat, and it's something I still see in societies were only the elderly attend mass. None of the characters were well-contoured, they seemed almost fable-like, there to deliver a point, rather than have a personality. They were each distinguished by this single role they had to play - Efix the loyal helper, Giacinto the impulsive youth, Naomi who's still got it, Esther the voice of reason and Ruth the matriarch who wants things to stay exactly as they are. There's little you find out about them beyond this, so it's difficult to carry your interest through the book.
And the plot revolves so much on social obligations and classes, such as who marries who, who is it a better deal to marry, how you are perceived by society. As a teenager I used to be amused by novels of manners, but now they are just outdated, cringy and frustrating to me.
There's excellent writing here, so I'd like to explore more of Grazia Deledda's bibliography, but this one wasn't for me.