You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Kundera (again!) depicts life as deeply erotic yet deeply sad through beautifully interwoven stories.
ps. I also loved the 18th century poetry, music, history lore going on throughout - very amusing
ps. I also loved the 18th century poetry, music, history lore going on throughout - very amusing
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It had its moments, but it was mostly a tedious and boring experience.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Me gustaron las pausas en la historia para sus reflexiones. Lo escribió alguien cada vez más consciente de su propia mortalidad.
I know the more I sit with this novel (on a second read) it will become a five star favorite.
“Just imagine living in a world without mirrors. You'd dream about your face and imagine it as an outer reflection of what is inside you. And then, when you reached forty, someone put a mirror before you for the first time in your life. Imagine your fright! You'd see the face of a stranger. And you'd know quite clearly what you are unable to grasp: your face is not you.”
― Milan Kundera, Immortality
“Just imagine living in a world without mirrors. You'd dream about your face and imagine it as an outer reflection of what is inside you. And then, when you reached forty, someone put a mirror before you for the first time in your life. Imagine your fright! You'd see the face of a stranger. And you'd know quite clearly what you are unable to grasp: your face is not you.”
― Milan Kundera, Immortality
my favorite book. kundera blends his philosophy, history and good storytelling with hilarious tangents.
This book was recommended by a friend and despite his glowing recommendation, I found this book quite disappointing. Kundera is content to merely introduce great philosophical questions without bothering to seriously explore them. For that, I cannot forgive the author or this book. Aside from a handful of interesting passages and some charming meta elements, this story misses the mark.
An excellent, very imaginative book. Kundera presents a somewhat cynical philosophy, but it is very entertaining. I only wish I had a plot summary to refer back to once I got to the end.
like i hesitate to call myself an unequivocal fan of milan kundera because he does say a lot of questionable things so i will only admit this in the privacy of my highly public and traceable goodreads account …. but i fear i cannot help but stan. like who’s gonna tell me “you are the brilliant ally of your own gravediggers” is not brat. i’d be gagged for life if someone said that to me
anyway i think what i like about kundera is that his stories are so absurd and his characters say and do so many outrageous things but at the end of the day the core of what kundera is trying to get at is actually quite simple and universal and resonant even if highly disputable. and his stories can be bleak but the message to me often feels cautiously optimistic. like e.g. - life is not happiness but being is happiness
anyway i think what i like about kundera is that his stories are so absurd and his characters say and do so many outrageous things but at the end of the day the core of what kundera is trying to get at is actually quite simple and universal and resonant even if highly disputable. and his stories can be bleak but the message to me often feels cautiously optimistic. like e.g. - life is not happiness but being is happiness
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated