What is your reaction to the novel? What did you like about it and what did you dislike about it? Does it deserve the international acclaim it has received? Would you recommend it to others?
When I first started reading Disgrace, I enjoyed it. Its uncomplicated plot and ability to be read quickly made the novel light and kind of enjoyable. However as the story progressed and reached the turning point in David Lurie's life, it became really slow and boring. When the setting was at Lucy's farm, everything was so routine and the plot was very slow, I felt as if I was living at the farm too. After finishing it though, I didn't like it at all. I felt that the ending was too abrupt and that there was no real solution. Also, even though the characters were very realistic, I didn't like their personalities, which is another reason why I didn't like the novel. If I don't like the main characters, I can't really empathize and feel with them, making the novel dry and boring. On the other hand, one thing I did like was the writing style of JM Coetzee. I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone, I didn't find it worth reading, however I'm sure there is someething about it that I missed, it did get the Booker Prize.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
well, a very direct and "straight to the point" post Sirena! You saw the questions and answered them. period. I think that like you, I also thought that the novel was light and enjoyable at the start, but that more the story progressed, more it seemed that I was reading the same events over and over again, and all was moving very slowly. You definetely showed your position and made it clear that you didn't like the novel in its whole for many reasons. You do however admnit that you missed something, which, as I found, is where all the depth and secrets of this book lies. You probably didn't discover this place, but I'm sure that if you read it again, you'd be pleasently surprised.
I agree with your response. As Hadrien said, it was straightforward and clear. However, your post made me realize something. At the beginning, when the novel takes place in the city, the story/reading is quick, eventful, and exciting- all of which are characteristics of typical “city-life”. When the setting is altered to the country, the story/reading slows down and becomes repetitive, routine, and, as you said, boring- again, we see resemblance to “country-life”. So I think that this change in writing style is intentional and perhaps Coetzee has chosen this technique to create the right atmosphere of the setting.
Post a Comment