I might make this a regular thing. I want to review 50 stories this calendar year… and I’m enjoying reading again
Clarice Lispector – The Imitation of the Rose
I’ll try to not reveal too much of the stories but I do want to write more…
Also don’t expect an actual review– I was never good at literary analysis and this is my blog after all so expect a lot of yap and absolutely no good points 😭
I would say comment your perspective but I’m yet to enable comments
The Imitation of the Rose – 8/10
I really enjoyed this specific story; I felt like the portrayal of Laura’s mental illness was so well written I spent the last hour looking for a credible source that Lispector herself, or someone she knew, suffered from such illness.
Although Laura’s illness is never named in the story I think this is a good thing as it lends itself to the generalisable nature of the story. Of course everyone has different experiences, however personally I found Lispector’s writing very emotive– the description of Luara’s manic feelings was so incredibly well done, you almost feel that you’re loosing it along side her.
In my post book rabbit hole I read that some people assume Laura suffered from manic depression but I think because her experience is quite nonspecific I’m pleased it’s not actually labeled– not least because people would fixate on that and not her actual experience (it’s giving Rosenhan 1973)
Family Ties – 9/10
I was not expecting to like this story so much – it was quite short at around 14 pages but it was so interesting.
To me I felt the story had two distinct parts; the first half of the story focused on Catarina and her thoughts as she travelled with her mother to the train station, and the second half on her husband, Antônio and he watches his wife leave with their son on a walk.
Comparing the two parts of the story there were some obvious differences – Antônio occupies his thoughts almost entirely with wondering about Catarina and thinking about what she does without him, although he doesn’t contemplate what she thinks, but instead what she does, not stopping to think of her as more of an object. He wonders how to please her but not for the sake of her happiness but her staying with him as he muses at one point she may disappear.
Catarina on the other hand has more vivid thoughts, or more her portion of the story is more vivid, with more details noticed and the thoughts of others more consciously considered. I think broadly the story is about struggles women face shown through how Catarina sees herself compared to how her husband does.
In a way this compliments The Imitation of the Rose nicely with the overarching theme of the thoughts of two housewives and how they see themselves.
The Crime of the Mathematics Teacher – 6/10
I didn’t really understand this story, certain elements were confusing. I didn’t understand why the man being a maths teacher mattered, and in a way I think this story can’t be looked at analytically. Despite being confusing the story was emotive and you could feel the unrest in the man’s thoughts. I can’t really summarise this book because to say simply it is about a man who abandoned his dog would not do the story justice but otherwise to understand the story you have to read it.
I gave this story a 6/10 because whilst it was interesting to read I feel like it wasn’t quite as enjoyable as other stories.
The Buffalo – 6/10
I understand this story is about a woman who visits a zoo after a breakup or something similar, where she feels hate towards her ex and searches for an animal that understands her hate. Throughout the book the woman is angry but even the animals typically seen as savage like the buffalo are calm. I think you can see the dichotomy of how humans are seen as rational and animals irrational when in fact the main character is most angry.
The Egg and the Chicken – 4/10
I’m sure someone who better understands Lispector and her life could explain what this story means– but that definitely isn’t me. The one positive thing I could say about this book is that despite being so nonsensical it wasn’t as difficult to read as you would imagine.
Mineirinho – 7/10
I liked this more than I expected to, I think the portrayal of the ethical question of killing a criminal who has killed and how or more pertinently if this should be celebrated, at least this is my understanding. I also understand this story is based on a true event, and that Mineirinho was actually shot 13 times which is a key focus in the story. I discovered when searching after that Lispector said in 1977 that the excessive violence on the part of the police (13 shots as opposed to 1) was “sheer desire to kill” and that “one bullet would have been enough”.
This story continues to be relevent today and it’s understandable that this is one of Lispector’s favourites of her own works. The best analysis I could find of Mineirinho is linked here.
Covert Joy – 10/10
5 of the best pages I’ve ever read. This was so enjoyable to read; it’s probably the most beautifully written story– it’s so vivid and descriptive. In fact I need not question the deeper meaning because just to have the pleasure to read the words is satisfaction enough.
I will say I know the feeling well of having a book and revelling in it so that you wait to open it just to savour having the book (much as I did when purchasing this book).
It is simply so short why wouldn’t everyone read Covert Joy– I think they should. Here is a link to the same translation I read.
In Search of a Dignity – 7/10
To read this story, at least the first part until Xavier arrives at her apartment, felt very much like the feeling you have when you’re drifting in and out of wakefulness on a bus trying to remain awake so as not to miss your stop, but also struggling to resist sleep. A theme that ran through the entire story was confusion.
Alongside confusion you could also feel Xavier’s despair and disconnect with who she was inside of her mind and how others, and herself, saw her.
The writing seems to draw attention to, and critique, the way age is associated with ugliness, that because she is almost 70, Xavier cannot be attractive.
The Departure of the Train – 7/10
Here’s the thing; I really liked this story, I felt it was thought provoking and a little sad… however… I honestly don’t have that much to say about it. I think this story had two elements that I appreciated. The theme of aging and the theme of beauty (which might be the same thing here).
I felt Lispector well contrasted the thoughts and feeelings Maria Rita and Angela Pralini, and through the two of them gives a better understanding of both of their stories. Both different characters, both escaping from a life they don’t feel seen to somewhere they know they’ll be happier.
I found it interesting how Angela prided herself on her beauty almost as if it’s an achievement (a feeling I somewhat relate to 😭), which contrasts to Maria Rita’s feelings of not being seen (or loved by her daughter) arguably because of her age.
At first I thought the more significant theme in this story was age but there’s so much more to understand as you read.
Report on the Thing – 8/10
To explain the meaning of this story (at least to me) would be to produce an abstraction of it– which I will not do. Therefore you must read it, and to read it is not to understand it but at least hopefully you may produce your own meaning. Although to me the limit of the mind might be an appreciated meaning.
The Sound of Footsteps – 7/10
The sadness in this story is undeniable but deepens with the last line. Just like other stories in this anthology the theme of age and the embarrassment felt by women like Mrs Cândida Raposo towards it reappears in this story– arguably in its most blatant form.
As this story is only two pages it’s a quick and worthwhile read, and one that I would recommend.
Brasília – 6/10
Very typical of Clarice Lispector, this is one that you should read to understand (most likely you won’t understand even after reading it– I don’t 😭). I have one favourite quote to share;
“I asked: do I look like a subversive? […] I have never been so thoroughly left up, Holy Mary, it’s practically a sin. Her hands patted me down so much I don’t know I could stand it.”
Lispector was writing here about her experience at airport security, but I feel this quote emphasises the exuberance of her writing style.
Beauty and the Beast or The Enormous World – 9/10
This was such a well written story, maybe my one of my favourites in this whole anthology. The writing is provoking and rich graphically and I would include some quotes but I’ve given my book to Cindia ✨.
I would really recommend this book and Carlas perspective and life is fascinating and somewhat tragic. Her lack of understanding about the normal world’s streets is such an interesting lens through which to view the everyday, whilst also being given the opportunity to look into her life which you could imagine to be ideal but she is unhappy with.
In fact throughout the book it gives the impression that any happiness she has comes out of ignorance and lack of understanding.
books reviewed so far: 24
Tagged #books.