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cpaul89's review
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Actress
By Anne Enright
I guess I just didn't get it. It didn't evoke much connection or emotion from me.
The narrator is the daughter, Norah, of a B-list actress of the golden age of Hollywood. Though she was not truly Irish, her managers dyed her hair red, gave her an Irish stage name (Katherine O'Dell), and had her speak in a fake Irish accent.
Norah documents Katherine's life through non-chronoligical tangents. From the beginning we know that Katherine shot a man, with whom she had history throughout her career, who was tortured with the pain of the injury for a decade before succumbing to the gunshot. Katherine was found effectively unfit to stand trial and withered away in and out of asylums for the remainder of her life.
There is a lot of hardship and the journey Norah undertakes to understand her mother and her mother's experiences through the lens of adulthood rather than her childhood witness. I suppose there is something in that to be acknowledged.
The writing style of the book is very fluid and enjoyable, but the content is disjointed and confusing, and, at times, mostly uninteresting.
By Anne Enright
I guess I just didn't get it. It didn't evoke much connection or emotion from me.
The narrator is the daughter, Norah, of a B-list actress of the golden age of Hollywood. Though she was not truly Irish, her managers dyed her hair red, gave her an Irish stage name (Katherine O'Dell), and had her speak in a fake Irish accent.
Norah documents Katherine's life through non-chronoligical tangents. From the beginning we know that Katherine shot a man, with whom she had history throughout her career, who was tortured with the pain of the injury for a decade before succumbing to the gunshot. Katherine was found effectively unfit to stand trial and withered away in and out of asylums for the remainder of her life.
There is a lot of hardship and the journey Norah undertakes to understand her mother and her mother's experiences through the lens of adulthood rather than her childhood witness. I suppose there is something in that to be acknowledged.
The writing style of the book is very fluid and enjoyable, but the content is disjointed and confusing, and, at times, mostly uninteresting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
yrock007's review
3.0
Slow going like s rough bike ascent but no downhill behind. The book went nowhere and took its time doing it.
beggarthot's review
4.0
Some passages were extremely hard to read, so don't read it when you feel melancholic. Very good though
emilyacgm's review
2.0
Including the open page, some of the writing in this novel is beautiful. But, I was a little bored with the extensive self-reflection and meandering pace.
timg's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
whatkatereadsnext's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
skwinslow's review
4.0
I loved this story of a complicated mother, narrated by her daughter Norah, the child of a celebrity and no stranger to scandal. I love even more the ways in which Norah's life stands in contrast with her mother's. Norah never comes across as bitter; her life lacks the fame and celebrity of her mother's (not to mention the drama and trauma), but she is a successful writer and happily married mother, who manages to see her mother with clear eyes and loves her anyway.
I really think Enright is brilliant. Period. She takes us straight to the heart of her characters and she does it in perfectly crafted sentences. She writes about difficult people with grace and humor, and I found this a pure pleasure to read.
I really think Enright is brilliant. Period. She takes us straight to the heart of her characters and she does it in perfectly crafted sentences. She writes about difficult people with grace and humor, and I found this a pure pleasure to read.
lokroma's review against another edition
3.0
In this novel written as a memoir, the daughter of a famous, deceased actress looks back on her mother's life and its impact on her own. Extremely well written, and the narrator is mostly kind to her mom, but I found the pre- and post- WWII famous-actressy promiscuity, diva antics, and self-destructive behavior a bit of a yawn. I also have a personal aversion to the memoir form which didn't help. I listened to the book, with Enright reading, and she does do an excellent job of it.
Years ago I read and loved The Gathering, so this was kind of a disappointment.
Years ago I read and loved The Gathering, so this was kind of a disappointment.
patience98's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25