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Tag: I really wanted to find a GIF of Jeffrey Jones saying “too many notes” in Amadeus to go with my “too many commas” complaint but I could not find one

Review: The Woman Upstairs, Claire Messud

Verdict: Good, but heavy-handed. The exciting thing about The Woman Upstairs is the intensity of its protagonist’s anger. Nora is an elementary school teacher and artist manque, who bitterly regrets the opportunities she has given up in her life in the interest of being “a good girl”. Into her life comes the Shahid family: the young son, Reza, is in her class; the mother, Sirena, a video installation artist who befriends Nora; and the father, Skandar, with whom Nora comes to enjoy discussing philosophy and politics. Feeling that she has been brought to life by these new friendships, Nora throws…

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