Member Reviews
Ann Wroe, obituaries editor for The Economist, reflects on the art and impossibility of capturing life on the page. Through her experiences and through people she has known, studied, or merely glimpsed in windows, she movingly explores what makes a life and how that life lingers after in this breathtaking combination of poetry, memoir, and observation. This is a really beautiful memoir.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in return for an honest review!
There are certainly turns of phrases here that are beautiful and illuminating about life and how we memorialize it. The author weaves poetry into her musings about what is left when we die, what is meant by a life, what is meant for a person trying to understand it all.
I appreciate that the author played with form; however, I do think that the narrative misses powerful moments in exchange for weaving a philosophical and poetic tale. I think having a clear vision could have helped solidify the point the author was making into a readable message that didn’t feel overly bloated.
Here’s a favorite quote I highlighted:
“…life catches on possessions”
I love the way the author picks up on the smallest things from someone.s life and that becomes a part of their story. Her way with words truly brings each person to life in my mind. I thoroughly enjoyed this! I think besides the people who are intrigued by biographies and would appreciate small glimpses into people's characteristics this would benefit a lot of fiction authors who could really use more details in their descriptions of people.