Susanna's review
The Last of Her Kind: A Novel by Sigrid Nunez
sigrid nunez's wonderful voice always manages to celebrate the iconoclast and the pious; life's traditions and it's future; personal escape and familial orthodoxy... i've been able to find myself in her characters while still feeling able to agree or disagree with their actions and where she takes them.
'the last of her kind' rang a particularly personal bell for me as it begins with the voice of a wanna-be poet who enters barnard college (granted, in the 1960's) only to leave after 3 semesters feeling suppressed by the school and seeking inspiration from the city of NY. the main character is both terrified of people and of what they can give to her, and so indepted to them, she is incapable, at first, of feeling honest and emotional.
it's a portrait of friendship, of self-exploration, and of a deep love for NYC. i highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates one of the three (if not all...)
'the last of her kind' rang a particularly personal bell for me as it begins with the voice of a wanna-be poet who enters barnard college (granted, in the 1960's) only to leave after 3 semesters feeling suppressed by the school and seeking inspiration from the city of NY. the main character is both terrified of people and of what they can give to her, and so indepted to them, she is incapable, at first, of feeling honest and emotional.
it's a portrait of friendship, of self-exploration, and of a deep love for NYC. i highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates one of the three (if not all...)
