The Besieged City

bailed

"Dr Lucas lent her a book once, but she had a hard time taking it in ... she'd talk and talk with the doctor and couldn't convey anything to him."
This sums up my experience of reading the first 18 pages. My eyes glide over the sentences without really touching them; the individual words register, but I can't parse any meaning from them, and when I reread what I've read seconds ago, I feel no familiarity, as if the words fell into a black hole, ⬇️

Bookwomble ... leaving behind no information, meaning beyond recovery.
I toyed, briefly, with persisting, but just felt vexed, so I'm DNFing without regret.
Sorry, Clarice, Sorry, #Brazil 🇧🇷 #ReadingTheAmericas2023
@BarbaraBB @Librarybelle 1y

Librarybelle Too many books to read through ones that are less enjoyable. 1y

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Bookwomble

The Besieged City | Clarice Lispector

My first book for #ReadingTheAmericas2023 is from #Brazil ??, Clarice Lispector's "The Besieged City". I've read one of her short stories in a collection edited by Manguel, but this is my first novel of hers, and I'm surprised to see that it will be my first novel by a Brazilian writer, but that's what this challenge is for, to expand my global reading coverage! ☺️ ???

Bookwomble My intention is to focus on Central and South America, as North America will take care of itself over the year. I'll hope to get into the Caribbean, too, if all goes well. @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB 1y

BarbaraBB Good luck! You started out with a good one I think! 1y

Bookwomble @BarbaraBB Fingers crossed 🤞☺️ 1y

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Librarybelle Definitely agree…these challenges do so well to expand my reading horizons. Good luck! 1y

Bookwomble @Librarybelle Thanks - I think I'm going to need it with this one! The first fifteen pages have been like walking over broken glass! I was already tempted to DNF, but I'll put it down for today and see if it reads better tomorrow. 1y

vivastory Lispector is so great. I read Passion According to GH a little over a yr ago & still think about it at least once a week. 1y

Bookwomble @vivastory Well, I shall persevere with The Besieged City, though I've found it unengaging at the start. 1y

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overtheedge

The Besieged City | Clarice Lispector

It was at that moment he was entirely unknown to her, within this already familiar lack of knowledge in which both understood each other.

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overtheedge

The Besieged City | Clarice Lispector

'Which was so important to a person in some extent stupid; Lucrecia who didn't possess the futilities of the imagination but just the narrow existence of whatever she was seeing.'
p. 94

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catebutler

The Besieged City | Clarice Lispector

pick

This beautiful book was part of @theboxwalla‘s June Book Box. Each title is hand-picked & I haven‘t read one that hasn‘t moved me, or shaped me as a reader. I admire authors who challenge the literary norm, & I think I‘ve fallen head over heels in love with Lispector and her writing. I have a feeling I‘ll be chewing over this book and her words for quite some time.

(cont. in comments)

catebutler In a letter, Lispector anguishes about writing this novel, and states, “I‘m struggling with the book, which is horrible...I don‘t know how to forgive the thoughtlessness of writing. But I‘ve already based myself entirely on writing and if that desires goes, there won‘t be anything left. So that‘s the way it has to be. But I‘ve reached the conclusion that writing is what I want more than anything else in the world, even more than love”.
(edited) 5y

RvnclawWhovian Wow, all the feels in those words 5y

catebutler It truly does! I haven‘t been able to forget her words. Her need to write is quite powerful, I think. 5y

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batsy Her stories are so amazing. I've been meaning to read her novels for a long time. The kind of writer who weaves a spell. 5y

BookBabe What a unique cover design! Love it! 5y

catebutler @batsy She really does! I am still thinking about this book and her beautiful words. I hope you‘ll get to one of her books soon. ☺️ 5y

catebutler @BookBabe It is, isn‘t it! Hope you‘re well, Jen! 💛 5y

Freespirit Another great recommendation! 5y

UwannaPublishme Wow! I need to add her to my TBR. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 5y

catebutler @Freespirit I‘m anxious to read her first two novels, I understand they‘re amazing! 5y

catebutler @UwannaPublishme She is so interesting! I understand her first novels are more digestible and highly praised. She‘s well worth the read, especially if you like to challenge yourself as a reader. 5y

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DannyOlda

The Besieged City | Clarice Lispector

pick

A challenging book to be sure, but Lispector's language is so rewarding. She writes as if she doesn't want to repeat any sentence she's ever heard, as if she doesn't know any cliches. The metaphors and descriptions are jarring but right on. Not an easy read but it was definitely worth it for me. It was the most different feeling writing I've read in a while.

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merelybookish

The Besieged City | Clarice Lispector

Today's library haul. Went to pick up the next #NYRBbookclub pick and came home with more. Particularly excited to find tagged book and Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage by Bette Howland, a "rediscovered" woman writer.

mklong Have you read Lispector before? I've been meaning to read something of hers, but I don't know where to start. 5y

merelybookish @mklong No! I haven't either and have wanted to for ages. So I grabbed this when I saw it. But my guess is Hour of the Star is a good place to start. Only because it seems to be the one that gets mentioned most often. 5y

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