Book Review: The Ravishing of Lol Stein

The Ravishing of Lol Stein by Marguerite Duras

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


An interesting book. Engaging without being truly ... engaging, though I think I won't soon forget it. Some of the other reviewers call it dream-like, and I think that's true. It was rather like being in a dream, and it had that subtle and constant anxiety that wends through most dreams, so I was constantly off-balance, never quite settled in. Though it's not my favorite of Duras' work (so far, that would be "The Sea Wall"), I find Duras' style endlessly fascinating. I'm not entirely sure why. She sets a distinct tone that is very difficult NOT to fall into, and this book was no different. She's a master at presenting uncomfortable truths in a very straightforward and matter-of-fact way, as if she's saying "Well, here it is. Deal with it and like it or go away." "The Ravishing of Lol Stein" was very much that kind of work.



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