ajunejane's reviews
416 reviews

Once I got past the initial confusion of whose thoughts we were experiencing at any given time, I really enjoyed it. As I read, I really felt I began to know the characters as people, represented by their own good and bad perceptions of themselves, and the good and bad perceptions of the other characters. I've been thinking a great deal about the concept of "seeing" lately, and the character of Lily Briscoe really "opened my eyes" (excuse the pun and cliche) to a new way of seeing and thinking about people. The whole story was really fascinating, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading fiction closely (otherwise it's easier to be confused with her style).

This book was/is amazing. I think I'll make a point of reading it once a week. She just gets it, being a little snarky and jaded and depressed, while gardening. I know that might not sound great, but to someone who feels similarly her writing is a godsend. And the collection flows together even better than Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album.

At first I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to get through the book...I made it through the five-year-old section of Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man because I knew that he (and the language) would grow up sooner rather than later. So, the prospect of reading a full-length novel told in the voice of a five-year old seemed kinda nuts. However, once the plot starting picking up it was much easier to get through the five-year old monologue (he was very literate, for a five-year-old). At this point, I was glad to hear the story from his perspective, instead of the adult one of his mother. It puts a whole new spin on something that pops up disgustingly often in the news. Overall, I'd say it's very clever and a quick read, and would recommend it to anyone who's been missing good contemporary fiction in their lives.

No words yet.

Oh the 80s and early 90s.

So much more complex and interesting than the Disney version.

Amazing. It's been too long since I finished the book for me to do a thorough review, but this memoir is frank and clear as a child even though McCourt is writing from his adult reflections. I haven't seen the movie but I want to now!

Good. I understand a great deal more about the politics of language in general, as well as in South India. While I believe the Tamilians proved themselves by serious sacrifice to their language, their actions do not seem unique to me compared with other language minorities seeking political acknowledgement (and more) for their language and related values. The difference is that they actually succeeded instead of dying out or continuing to grow endangered.