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This feels like those dreams you’re trying to run in but can’t. Is it just me or is there magical realism in this? I feel more of the drowning feeling from this book than the one I read before this, Nausea.

“and that all this desire of hers to give, to help, was vanity. For her own self-satisfaction was it that she wished so instinctively to help, to give, that people might say of her, “O Mrs. Ramsay! dear Mrs”…. but made aware of the pettiness of some part of her, and of human relations, how flawed they are, how despicable, how selfseeking, at their best.”

I’m reading the Schocken Books publication from my library and the format is strange. The page numbers are on the inside of the pages…. And maybe this is the author but there’s no indentation for quotes and it’s hard to read. I first thought the translation was rigid but it doesn’t bother me now. I’m out of space!

This is hard to read… like my brain.

Is the protagonist a real person? Stream of consciousness all over the place?

Wholesome. I will take a long time but I would like to try reading this in Japanese as well.

Now that is a love story.

Touched by this dedication on how literature affected the protagonist.

It feels nostalgic for some reason. Maybe because the details are described very well and it feels familiar.

So bored. Going to give up.

Sad. The “bad” people’s inability to be other than that.

I thought I’ll tolerate this book but I’m getting tested.

Reading this after Wuthering Heights is like drinking crisp water from an oasis after being lost in a hot desert. Not to say I like one or the other better. This just feels very clean and consistent than the other. This book feels philosophical and fiction stories help me get that better than specific philosophy books.

It’s strange to me how they have certain morals to stop themselves from killing each other. And what is up with Nelly, she seems to be the instigator to all of this. Also, not really seeing the point of this interception of narrations.

Do they like each other or not?

The writer really went hard on making badly behaved people almost make it unbelievable and funny.

Woah I see what some are saying. It’s like a soap opera /horror story without the supernatural… yet?

Isabel seems very self-aware and insightful but maybe a little too loyal? And these guys are trying to gaslight her.

Interesting characters but the family tree is confusing me. A lot of stories within stories.

First person narrative always captures my attention.

I thought Henry James writes about New York. Like more than this. The writing is poignant and clever. I’m starting to lose interest because of the theme. Feeling like another Mansfield Park. But with some splash of cultural debate which was interesting at first.

Henrietta Stackpole is so annoying.

Ralph’s illness is explained a little. His mom lives in Florence while dad lives with him in England. The parents are still married but dad is ill and they’re American. Isabel is very confident in herself but not really good at expressing herself. She’s made herself at home with the Touchetts. Does Ralph actually like her(his cousin)?

Interesting to see the comparison of English and American culture at this time. The writing is very smooth and easy to read and there seems to be wit in the conversations. Mrs. Touchett seems eccentric and Isabel may be as well if she finds her amusing.

This isn’t a first person narrative and doesn’t go too deep into each character. This essence emphasizes the community aspect of this location and that becomes the main character. Each character really depends on each other and have a symbiotic relationship. They also test each other’s boundaries.

Gonna stop this one for now. Nothing is coming in.

It’s getting good.

This isn’t hitting it like Winter of Our Discontent except for when it’s about Cathy.

Half way. Will I finish this?