The Blazing World - Siri Hustvedt

[Esther]

Are you planning on reading this title?

[Brown Girl Reading]

Yes I am! I've had it now got about 2,5 months. Interested to see what she does with this story.

[Esther]

I'm currently reading this one, Didi. It's a brilliant premise and very thought provoking. I'm not sure it's one that everyone will like, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much in my early 20s, for example.

[Brown Girl Reading]

Great then I know I'm going to like it and it might even have a chance to at least get on the Shortlist.

[Trudie]

This one is my next read - I am a little nervous of it

[Brown Girl Reading]

Why? IT sounds really good to me.
Trudie wrote: "This one is my next read - I am a little nervous of it"

[Trudie]

Probably just because I would say I am not sure if I am ready to be plunged into the Art world and I have not read her so not entirely sure what to expect ;)

[Brown Girl Reading]

I read What I Loved by her which also took place in the art world and it was really good.
Trudie wrote: "Probably just because I would say I am not sure if I am ready to be plunged into the Art world and I have not read her so not entirely sure what to expect ;)"

[Esther]

It's really a story of a woman and her relationship with her family, her identity, and her art. It's told from several POVs, using various formats, diaries, statements, letters. It reads like a memoir/biography to me.

My mother is an artist and she is pretty much in a world of her own a lot of the time, so I can really relate to her daughters POV.

Don't be scared by it!

[[deleted user]]

I should be finishing Norwegian Wood tonight and starting this, The Blazing World, either tonight or tomorrow. The art world intrigues me and I love stories told in multiple POV and formats, as long as they are done well, so I'm really looking forward to this one.

[Lee]

I finished this book about a week ago and it is one of two of the five long list books I have read that I hope make the short list. (The other is "The Narrow Road to the Deep North.") That said, appreciation of literature is subjective, and this book will have its detractors. Some will be put off by the feminist nature of the story, while others will be frustrated with short discussions (many footnoted) of complex neuroscience and philosophy issues.

You don't have to be "in the know" about the art world to appreciate this book, but you will learn more about it (which is part of the reason we read, right?).

[Neil]

Lee - I agree. It will be on my version of the shortlist. I don't know a lot about art although I am interested in it and go to quite a few galleries etc.. I think an interest in art is quite important for reading this book. It is pretty intellectual, but I really enjoyed reading it and thought the main character was great!