nastya ’s Reviews > The Bay of Angels > Status Update

Me too, she has such an elegant, balanced style but the subject matter doesn't always work for me. I liked her Hotel du Lac a lot.

Roman Clodia wrote: "Me too, she has such an elegant, balanced style but the subject matter doesn't always work for me. I liked her Hotel du Lac a lot."

It's like every word is there for a reason, so controlled, so smart, I am in awe. I might be burned out on the topic of small lives of women struggling with mothers, daughters, boyfriends etc. But it is a tiny book, and so far I am just enjoying her writing, hope I don't get bored. But man, the skill! I randomly picked up this one and Fraud in my local charity shop, but there were another 5 books in worse condition. Someone in my area loved her.

Absolutely share that point about small women's lives - one of the things I liked about Hotel du Lac was that the main character surprised me. You're right, sometimes it's just enough to enjoy clever, controlled writing.

there's something in here that strangely reminds me of Mishima (the only 2 books of his I've read). But Brookner's writing feels more mature and accomplished, and so far much less violent, but I am in the beginning :) But there's this strange coldness and distance from the characters I've experienced with Mishima

nastya wrote: "But there's this strange coldness and distance from the characters I've experienced with Mishima"

That's such a smart comment! I've only read the one Brookner but have started and abandoned a couple of others, and I think that's because of that distance you've pinpointed. It's almost like she's a scientist dissecting her characters and their setting: it's done with detail and integrity but with an analytical and curious eye.

I think you are absolutely right about every word being deliberately chosen and placed. I imagine her like a painter, dabbing words on to her canvas.

If you like it, she wrote plenty more novels...

Roman Clodia wrote: "nastya wrote: "But there's this strange coldness and distance from the characters I've experienced with Mishima"

That's such a smart comment! I've only read the one Brookner but have started and a..."

To get this comment from you-- a reader who I respect so much-- is heavenly!

Jan-Maat wrote: "I think you are absolutely right about every word being deliberately chosen and placed. I imagine her like a painter, dabbing words on to her canvas.

If you like it, she wrote plenty more novels..."

I got further into the book and I must admit the shine wore off a bit. It's like we are standing in one place for pages and pages, and the inner monologue became stale and repetitive (although you might say it's near to life, cause we do have the same conversations over and over again, but it's not very exciting to read...) This books feels a bit superfluous so far. But still elegant.

nastya wrote: "Jan-Maat wrote: "I think you are absolutely right about every word being deliberately chosen and placed. I imagine her like a painter, dabbing words on to her canvas.

If you like it, she wrote ple..."

That sounds like a fair description of the anita brookner experience