I think the endless name dropping of famous works in innumerable languages gives this book a highbrow tone that the writing only very occasionally manages to meet. There are some very beautifully put phrases and sentences that make me melt, but they are few and far between. The story was underwhelming. Which I think was intended. Like here's a fragment of a life, take your personal meaning from it. But I could not care enough about any of the characters to really get there, and I don't think many of the characters cared enough about themselves to get there either.

Have you ever been at a party surrounded by people that are much more intelligent and witty and insightful than you, and you want them to like you so you do that thing where you nod and grin a lot even though about 80% of the conversations are going straight over your head?

Yeah, that's what reading this book is like. In spite of my (self-proclaimed) well-read background, I definitely missed about 80% of these literary references. The idea in "An Unnecessary Woman" is that the narrator has been socially isolated for so long (mostly by choice) that she has completely immersed herself in the literary world. So when trying to recall past events or life moments, she seamlessly weaves in references to Lolita, Chekov and how some of her favorite authors dies. It's high-brow name dropping, but rather than making me feel excluded, it was comforting in an odd way. It's a little esoteric but it doesn't feel malicious. You have to be in the right mood for this book and it's not for simpletons.

Favorite quotation: "I stopped loving Odysseus as soon as he landed back in Ithaca. I love the idea of homeland, but not the actual return to one." UGH. Alameddine packs so much sadness and longing and isolation into two @#$ing sentences.

A single, retired woman, whose best friend died years ago, living in Beirut who has spent her life working in and shaping a bookstore. I thought I would love it. But between the idea and the execution--too many gaps. I wanted to know more about her friend (and sort of sister-in-law) who died. I wanted to know more about the bookstore and less about the esoteric books she's read. I get a bit weary of books that feature books so prominently. It can seems as though it is just a glorified Facebook quiz, "How many of these literary references can YOU spot?!"

I did love that Aaliya keeps herself occupied, physically, mentally and spiritually by translating books. She does not publish the translation; she does them out of love of the process. That notion of doing something with passion and deliberate care--just to DO it--is one that fascinates me. I suppose there are parallels to my own horse-training, poem writing, sketching. But I think it would have been a more powerful book if that strand of an idea would have been made more prominent. It provides the end of the book its light and hope, but I'm not sure that was not a cop-out.

An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine is one of those novels I should have enjoyed way more than I did. A book-loving woman in her twilight years reminiscing about her life, loves, and reads? Sign me up. The way it’s executed in this book? Unsubscribe. Read more.

A literary criticism via beautiful fiction. In protagonist, elderly Aaliya, we find a life, un-boxed bit by bit, that shows us the beauty of human creation.

This was an unknown book to me until my mother passed it on for me to read. The book is actually quite good. There were so many memorable quotes, too many to remember or record. The book also evokes Beirut, Lebanon of the 1970's to the approximate present day. I could definitely empathize with the protagonist's concerns, regrets, sadness, and joy. Perhaps odd to outsiders, especially in a middle eastern society, she is intelligent and refreshing in her eccentricity. The writer refers to an amazing variety of books; he too is very knowledgeable. My only criticism is that the author's choice of some of the references to literature are too esoteric.

Would love to reread just to gather names for my TBR list. The name dropping is never ending. The narrator had a soothing voice though, never unpleasant to turn on, I just found the story to be less than captivating overall.

Absolutely intoxicating..and a literature lovers dream novel. Easily one of my favorite novels. Reaches the sublime sleeping in my soul and reminds me of the beauty so few are capable of touching.

This was a book club selection I had great hopes for but ended up being disappointed. On the bright side, the writing is rather beautiful in parts with several interesting passages worth to be quoted. On the negative side is the lack of plot coupled with a protagonist who is not a likable character. A. is a Lebanese recluse hiding from the world behind her love for literature. I love to read as well but not at the cost of any meaningful personal relationship. It was hard to believe that A. at some point in her life did not seem to feel some regret at being "unnecessary" when she could have given so much had she only shared her literary translations. In addition, I am obviously not as well read as she is, as several of the very many authors and titles mentioned are unfamiliar to me. I missed some character development, especially in the absence of a real story line. Not a truly enjoyable read....

Au bout de 162 pages, j'ai arrêté ma lecture. Malgré le sujet abordé (guerre du Liban/ Israelo palestine) qui colle avec l'actualité, d'ailleurs j'ai bien rigolé quand elle a teint ses cheveux en bleu et qu'elle dit " Heureusement le bleu n'est pas celui du drapeau israélien. Vous imaginez ? Vous parlez d'une querelle entre adversaires mal assortis."
En général, le ton est sarcastique, sans prise de tête, j'avais l'impression que Aaliya parlait avec moi, c'était naturel et spontané. Le problème c'est que déjà, il n'y a pas de chapitres, ça a ralenti ma lecture, moi qui suis habituée à cela, ça m'a fait bizarre et j'ai eu du mal à entrer dans l'histoire. De plus, l'absence d'action m'a fait décrocher complet. C'est vraiment dommage mais je ne préfère pas me forcer à lire ce livre, ça me pousserait à percevoir de manière peut-être exagéré de mauvais côtés au roman.