Teo’s Reviews > Against the Loveless World > Status Update

That's unfortunate. I recently returned to 'big prize winning lit' and it's . . . limp takes on important topics so far.

akemi wrote: "That's unfortunate. I recently returned to 'big prize winning lit' and it's . . . limp takes on important topics so far."

I'm disappointed, but considering the average rating, it seems I'm the odd one out :( So far its a lot of telling in a very emotionless, boring (not bleak) way. Feels like I'm reading a memoir of sorts, but considering the character is fiction, I'm like why not just read a real Palestinian's story instead?

Nooo, I hate that. When a book has a lot of telling, it feels like I'm reading someone's idea of a story, rather than a story. Human Acts is narrated in quite an affectless manner, but I interpreted that as a simulation of dissociation at the formal level. I wonder if Loveless is going for something similar? Regardless, sometimes ya just gotta drop 💀

akemi wrote: "Nooo, I hate that. When a book has a lot of telling, it feels like I'm reading someone's idea of a story, rather than a story. Human Acts is narrated in quite an affectless manner, but I interprete..."

Oh yes Han Kang! I've been meaning to read her books for a while now. Thing is, I can appreciate an intentional 'removed' way of writing, and that does make sense for the character in Loveless (she is in solitary confinement), but I can't help but find it simply boring in this case. It's like we are learning so much about her history but not about her if that makes sense.
I'm worried that I won't find it gets better because I heard there's a lot of SA later on. Not a fan of trauma being used as a main emotional device if I find everything else is subpar :/ We shall see though!