izasballad's reviews
345 reviews

This took me over a month to read (which is so unlike me) but for good reasons! I loved this book so much that this has become my most annotated book.

I love reading Stefan Zweig’s books because he can craft captivating narratives that delve deep into the complexity of human emotions. His works are thought-provoking, and unsettling at times, forcing us to confront our own emotions.

“Beware of Pity” or “The Impatience of the Heart” explores the complexity of pity and how destructive it can be. The title and theme of the book show the paradoxical nature of empathy and pity– it’s ironic because how can compassion lead to danger?

It provides us with an insight into how selfishness and selflessness are sometimes intertwined. While certain actions can be judged objectively, motivation and intentions matter in providing more valuable insights into one’s behaviors and emotions. There will always be a gray area in understanding behaviors– such as, selfish actions may be made with the greater good in mind, while selfless acts may be done for selfish reasons. “Beware of Pity” shows how selfish people can be– they believe themselves to be selfless once they do such acts, but these acts aren’t necessarily driven by genuine intentions, but more by self-gratification.

The novel differentiates between sincere empathy and shallow pity, demonstrating how well-intentioned actions can lead to unintended harm. Certain choices we make have serious repercussions. There is a shallow type of pity wherein people seek to alleviate their own discomfort rather than genuinely helping others. More often than not, people turn to deception to mitigate the hurt another person may be feeling– because of pity, people do actions with good intentions, but along the way, people can fall deeper into their web of lies and false hope, turning into guilt that is often hard to forget (which may create this cycle of pity and guilt). The problem with this type of pity is that it offers a temporary solution, creating a false sense of hope that can ultimately lead to greater disappointment. Another type of pity that is shown in the novel is the genuine type of pity wherein one actively seeks out options to alleviate the pain of the other person. It is empathy– genuinely understanding the other person’s feelings, and ultimately finding a way to alleviate any pain that they are feeling. The novel also shows how pity can affect the receiver. While pity may offer initial support, it may ultimately hinder genuine connections and growth. Throughout the story, we get to see how Edith deals with the pity she is receiving from Hofmiller.

This book is full of rambles, and I understand how others may find it draggy, but reading those types of monologues is enjoyable to me as it allows me to enter the minds of the characters. There are certain points made in the book that I do not agree with (e.g. blaming others for how they feel, the extremity of the points it wants to show). Moreover, some of the characterizations can border on being ableist. Edith is often reduced to her disability and is mostly portrayed as a pitiable and helpless person. While I understand that it is part of the story (and since it was written in the past), there are just some points where it becomes too much for me to read due to the ableist undertones.

Overall, this exploration of the themes just raises questions about the nature of pity and kindness as a whole. There is so much to dissect in this book, and I feel like I haven’t covered much of my thoughts and feelings while reading it.

The author creates a grotesque world with her words, making her stories strange and captivating.  My favorite stories were "Unstitching," "The Mouse Queen," and "Waxy." I enjoyed the first half of the book. Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of the latter part of the book. While I do commend the author's writing, I think the latter stories aren't just for my liking. I found them bland compared to the first half. The other stories are missing the weird, strange elements that I find compelling. I'm not sure if it's because of my mood, or if the book just started too strong for me."Waxy" has been stuck in my thoughts since I finished it (and maybe that's why I can't focus on the other stories lol). Overall, I would still recommend this book. It is a collection of dystopian, disturbing, and unsettling stories with a dash of magic realism. So if that is right up your alley, pick this up!

"A Streetcar Named Desire" delves into the nature of human desire and highlights how certain decisions based on one's desire can lead to tragedy. Moreover, it highlights the past versus the present through Blanche and Stanley, which creates conflict and tension throughout the story.

Reading a play doesn't quite give the same emotions as reading a full-fledged novel or watching the play, but reading this was still as incredible! This was a compelling read, and it was fun to analyze the scenes. I would love to watch the play because I've heard the symbols and themes are much clearer on stage. I might watch the movie after this 👀

*Review contains spoilers

Each character has their desires, and the book showcases the lengths they would go to achieve them. Blanche desires for her past life, being the Southern Belle that she was. This desire of her makes her detached from reality, making her commit a series of wrong decisions that ultimately affect her sanity. She romanticizes her past so much that she creates an illusion of her being the same person she was back then. She creates her own world, and while it does protect her from harsh realities, this excess illusion has made her deluded and unstable. While I do not condone her actions, the glimpse we got at the ending of her getting out of her fantasy land was sad to see, especially after what she just went through.

Moreover, I loved the exploration of love and codependency in the book. Stella and Stanley's relationship, I believe, is a perfect example of a codependent relationship. Stanley is the dominant person in the relationship, but as soon as Stella strays away, he finds a way to get her back. He desires control, which he gains through controlling Stella. So, when Blanche threatens that sense of control and superiority over Stella, he does his best to, ultimately, gain control of Blanche as well. His masculinity is deeply intertwined with the submission of women. Meanwhile, despite the obvious red flags of Stanley, Stella stays with him because she desires stability. This desire leads her to decide between choosing Stanley and Blanche. Ultimately, she chooses the option where she maintains stability, opting to ignore and deny the truth.

This was such a quick, fun, and, cute story! My only problem with this is the lack of depth, but I think it does its job for a feel-good book. 

"The Death of Ivan Ilyich" and "Three Deaths" are beautifully written, thought-provoking reads that delve into mortality. It gives the readers insights into the nature of life, the meaning of life, and the inevitable death that looms upon us.

In "The Death of Ivan Ilyich," Tolstoy delves into the psychological turmoil Ilyich experiences when facing his impending death. His impending death forces him to examine his life and realize that he has lived an inauthentic one.

From the beginning, he has pursued things for his desire, while conforming to societal expectations. Ultimately, he yearned for affection from people around him, but his relationships have been superficial and based on societal expectations rather than genuine affection.

He struggles to grapple with his mortality and realizes that he lived his life wrongly. 

"Three Deaths" explores three characters grappling with their death; it showcases the diverse ways people react to the inevitability of death. The last death in the story serves as a reminder that death is natural and it is, ultimately, inevitable and fundamental to the cycle of life. 

I've been meaning to read this book for ages, ever since I heard about the movie (Of course, I wanted to read it first before watching the movie). I got through the book pretty quickly. I liked the tone of the book in the beginning, and I quite liked the build-up of the story. It was fast-paced and very intriguing, so I was kept engaged. It is also predictable, which I don't mind if it is done well. However, the ending was rushed, fell flat, and lacked the thrill I was expecting. Overall, an average book at best. While it was enjoyable, it wasn't as great as I had hoped. I will still be watching the movie though. 

I read this because the movie promotions piqued my interest, and I REALLY wanted to love this, but I didn't. I liked the premise of the book and the message it wants to convey. It offers an exploration of the complexities of motherhood; and how mothers are often stripped away from their own identity. The overwhelming nature of motherhood pressures women to stick to their role, suppressing their desires. The lack of names, and the narrator simply being "The Mother" and "Nightbitch" was chilling. It shows the dehumanizing aspects of motherhood, and how often they are reduced to that role, erasing their identity. 

Despite these, I couldn't enjoy and stay engaged with the book. Maybe, it's just me— perhaps, the humor is not to my taste or maybe, it's because of the writing. I just found it to be so repetitive and... boring? I would give this 1 star for my reading experience, but I'm adding another star because I think the message is still good, and this is still an overall good book (just not for me!) With that being said, I will still watch the movie! I think I would enjoy this better on the big screen.

I was waiting for this to end!! It was very confusing, and the ending... uhm?? I love satirical and unhinged stories, but I was bored with this book the entire time. I understand what this was trying to convey, but it felt too flat.

I truly understand what message the author is trying to convey; however, it was handled too recklessly. The premise and first half of the book were interesting. They explore the side of "good guys" who are only called such because of their manipulative nature. I am trying to fathom how the ending was a good idea for such a sensitive message. We live in a society where women are continually accused of lying, and the whole plot twist does not help our case at all. I had no problems with the writing style, but the plot twist ruined this for me. If this were tackled differently, I would have liked it, especially given the themes it has.

I am not going to lie—I didn't really enjoy reading this. I found the characters uninteresting and certain scenes irked me. However, I do understand why it is a classic. "First Love" delves into the world of adolescent infatuation. The story is raw, showcasing every emotion one feels when in love. I liked the direction of the book and how it raises points on the line between devotion and obsession. It is an exploration of love that reminds us of how intense love can be. 

Personally, a 1 read for me, but I gave it an extra star because of the points it made (and because I'm feeling kind)