Select language, opens an overlay

Comments (28)

What did you think about this title?
1 to 25 of 28 items
May 16, 2022JamesMallory rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Nice writing, but after 90 pages I didn't see much point in reading further. If you like short stories (particularly loosely joined ones) then you might like this; for me, there just wasn't enough meat and I didn't really care about any…
Sep 18, 2021ekhdong rated this title 0.5 out of 5 stars
New style is garbage.
Feb 21, 2021DanglingConversations rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I read this in one day. It was interesting to listen in on the thoughts of the woman teaching writing in Greece. It was like reading her diary. She did not appeal to me as a woman I would want as a friend but she is intelligent and self…
Jan 17, 2021rclane rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Despite the praising review I had read, The characters and plot evoked moderate interest from me. Somewhat memorable swimming scene in the Greeks isles.
May 06, 2020AndreaG_KCMO rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I didn't know what to make of this book as I read, yet it held my interest. The narrator relates a handful of events she experiences on a work trip to Athens alongside the personal stories of people she meets there. The possible intent of…
Dec 07, 2019Anita1980 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is book is quite introspective and observational and I found it to be a fascinating read. It seems to capture people's thoughts and meditations about their lives but captured in a conversation. While reading this, I thought about…
Dec 04, 2019eusebius rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Rachel Cusk is a capable writer, but I found little pleasure in reading this book. Sometimes, while plodding through somebody's story, you say Alright, enough now, but there are a few more pages to go. Maybe the best chapter is the one…
Apr 18, 2019SunsetBranch rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Lots and lots of people sitting around eating and telling stories about their personal lives that are hard to tell apart. It's like My Dinner with Andre but without the metaphysics
Jan 23, 2019re_discover rated this title 0.5 out of 5 stars
While I liked the overall concept of the book, I found it very flat and uninteresting.
Jan 09, 2019IndyPL_JarrodR rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
As we follow the narrator from a jet into Athens, Greece, we are introduced to an eclectic collection of characters through chance encounters, gatherings, and a writing class. If you are interested in learning about the various stories of…
Jan 04, 2019lukasevansherman rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
"What Ryan had learned from this is that your failures keep returning to you, while your successes are something you always have to convince yourself of." Smart and insightful novel by Canadian Rachel Cusk. Part of a trilogy with "Transit"…
Dec 25, 2017
read before transit
Aug 23, 2017harrissusanc rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
A monologue about a woman's voyage to Athens, that emphasizes the disturbing distance between the inside and outside. Marvelous movement between sharp observations of passing events and existential philosophy, but lacks plot.
Jul 07, 2017QuentinHayes rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Extremely clever structure, less compelling story-line. Divorced people may find this more compelling than happily married (or happily never-married) people.
Apr 03, 2017spiderfelt_0 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
It was only after discussing this book with my bookclub that I finally appreciated the elegance and beauty of this book. Initially, I felt ambivalent about the disconnected characters. At our bookclub, the construction was illustrated: the…
Feb 20, 2017Candaceb108 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
There is a plot. It's a good book. Women with a few years will enjoy it.
Jan 28, 2017Orcacreative rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is one of those books that at first glance, seems boring, but then your life slows down a bit, you pick it up once more, it is suddenly a gem. It is like being overwhelmed by action blockbuster movies with explosions, guns and car…
Aug 05, 2016GLNovak rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
This is a book that will appeal only to those readers who don't need a plot. Nothing happens other than the narrator goes to Athens for a week and listens to people philosophize about their relationships. I must admit this is not my kind…
Jun 01, 2016rebmartin31 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A wonderfully philosophical novel with razor-sharp narration and observation. The narrator/narrative perspective is such a finely wrought creation, reading this book is similar to watching GoPro footage, but mercifully without the…
May 11, 2016mallc rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Bizarre and hypnotic. The floating and distanced style of the writing makes it a strange and interesting read. Like eavesdropping on fascinating yet dull people.
Feb 14, 2016brangwinn rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
The narrator of the story is the type of person to whom people share their lives—or at least an outline of their lives. Beginning with her seatmate in the flight from London to Athens, they unburden themselves. It’s an interesting idea for…
Jan 10, 2016RizzleDazzle rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
In a book that is only comprising of vague conversations as a mechanism to describe...something, you'd expect it to describe something. Steinbeck does that in many of his books, where many descriptions can define a place and moment in…
Dec 15, 2015santiano9 rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
Soooo much introspection and analysis....does not make for an interesting read. Did not finish.
Nov 17, 2015raj_42 rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
I don't normally bother reviewing books, but I had to make an exception for this one. It has to be one of the most boring and pretentious books I have ever read. It is totally pointless, the "conversations" are not really conversations…
Aug 19, 2015
"while he talked she began to see herself as a shape, an outline, with all the detail filled in around it while the shape itself remained blank." Outline is beautifully written.