Unashamedly intellectual to the point that it's probably not for everyone, but I found in it a grossly compelling examination of a life, eventually, lived fully in the service of one's art, and the associated difficulties inherent in this as well as those imposed by society and culture when the artist is a woman.

More like 3.5 but still enjoyed it

Absolutely loved this book. At first I wasn't so sure about the format, but fell in love with Harry and was rooting for her. Lots of laughter and heartbreak in this novel. Interesting insights into sexism & ageism in the art world, all spot on in my opinion.

This book was too arty for me, but still I liked it.
Siri Hustvedt lives in a world full of intellectuals and artists. This was already shown in 'What I loved', here it is the whole story. Harriet Burden is a fictive artist who this book is posthumous about.

"She knew too much, had read too much, was too tall, hated almost everything that was written about art, and she corrected people's error."

I loved the strong feminism in the book. Very great writing.
I need to educate myself more to understand and connect the mentioned artists and philosophers more. My fault, not Siri's.

i'm not sure what i thought of this book. there was a lot i liked - the storytelling through journals and interviews, the themes about women and power and aspects of identity - but it also felt like there was too much, like there were too many allusions and references and personalities and perspectives, and it was hard to wade through it.

DNF

it took me a while to get into this book but it eventually it grew on me. its really a portrait of a woman. she is an upper middle class, very smart and cultured, and an artist.
I mention the middle class position, because the "struggles" the main character suffers, as real and horrific they are to her, can be called privileges to other people. there is also the issue of the self absorbed, oblivious, selfish "Artist" as opposed to the rest of the world.
the book takes a well deserved issue with the mistreatment of women in the art world, even today, and it is poetic in parts, but there are also some parts that drag on. I like the style of writing from different peoples points of view, all of them add something. which is why I was so disappointed to find that in the last chapter, the author chose to write from a point of view of someone who really did not matter, and was the questionable psychic. it did not ring true.

there were times i hated this book, and times i loved this book, and then times i hated it again. and that is why i'm giving it 5 stars.

i have a very soft spot in my heart for books that invoke in me extreme emotions. this book did that. enter -- soft spot.

but seriously. i think that Harriet "Harry" Burden was fantastic. the chapters narrated by her were just the pinnacle of perfection. this novel is a moving and interesting portrait of an extremely unique and obscure artist. the rest of the cast of characters narrating the other portions, some boring and annoying, some riveting and empathetic, made this a well rounded story.

it's definitely not the type of novel for everyone, but it was for me.

Found this very hard going. Very meta and pretentious, with pseudo academic references and even referring to the author’s work?

Though Harriet’s death from cancer did hit me hard.