Comments on: Review: The Woman Upstairs, Claire Messud

By: Review: Sinner, Maggie Stiefvater | Reading the End

Review: Sinner, Maggie Stiefvater | Reading the End — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 10:02:34 +0000

[…] love reading about angry women. I love it. See also The Woman Upstairs (this is possibly the only Maggie Stiefvater–Claire Messud comparison you will read […]

By: The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud – Farm Lane Books Blog

The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud – Farm Lane Books Blog — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:27:52 +0000

[…] Messud does such a good job of creating a sense of dread. Reading the End […]

By: cbjamess

cbjamess — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:04:16 +0000

I admit that I missed the Nora/Doll’s House reference. But I think I like it. Nora in A Doll’s House walks out on her family to pursue her own life. Nora in Messud’s book is a woman who has largely done that all along, making art she cannot or will not sell. I can see your point about commas, too, (Is that a little pun?) but I also think commas are just the thing for Nora’s character. They are precise, too precise, but perfect for someone who spends her creative time making tiny copies of the real world.

Sirena, on the other hand, makes giant representations of fanstasy worlds.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 23:56:38 +0000

In reply to litlove. Aw, you're so nice! I'll look forward to hearing from you what you think about it.

By: litlove

litlove — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:54:17 +0000

I have been so interested in this book since I first heard about it, so I cannot tell you how delighted I am to read your review and finally get a proper impression of what the book is like. I can perfectly understand your complaint about the heavy-handed symbolism (dolls houses! Unsubtle!) but I’m also very intrigued too. One I am definitely going to read, I think. Thank you, dear Jenny, for a wonderfully clear and insightful review.

By: jane saunte

jane saunte — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:25:47 +0000

I likewise decided not to read this book, based on a negative reaction to “The Emperor’s Children”. I was interested in this review to see if I was missing anything (I don’t think so). I can remember why I didn’t enjoy Emperor’s Children. I realise that the picture was meant to be of spoilt youth coming to their come-uppance but, call me naieve, I would like to find SOMEONE in a novel that I can like,empathise with, approve of. Interesting that someone compared “Notes On A Scandal,” because, that, in the same way, has no character that one can like or approve of. One of the reasons I read very few books by men is because THEIR negativity is so much more violent- murders, sexually predatory or downright rapist behaviour. Women, the gentler sex, I expect more empathy, but the modern trend is for unredeemed gloom. I go back to the Victorians for the more rounded view of life, eg George Eliot. But then again,when you know what the underlying trend of the society was (hypocrisy, sexually predatory behaviour, secret mistresses, syphilis) …oh dear I am rambling appallingly.

The early 20th century is full of books by angry women,now largely forgotten. For really angry, look up “Storm Jameson”. largely out of print but widely available in Amazon Second hand store.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:50:25 +0000

In reply to Ana @ things mean a lot. Oh, you know, I can see that objection, but I don't think the person you respect would have the same objection if they read the book. Her dissatisfaction (and anger) is more related to her having not pursued her art, than anything else (marriage, family).

By: The Literary Omnivore

The Literary Omnivore — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:43:32 +0000

In reply to Ana @ things mean a lot. The fact that your experience could be co-opted by anti-choicers (or people who believe that marriage and family are a woman’s “natural” role and they’re doomed to unhappiness if they deviate from it) shouldn’t make individual women feel that they have to oversimplify their own experience to themselves, or else they’ll be anti-feminists. Word.

By: Care

Care — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:46:35 +0000

I suppose The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante (Europa) is a fascinating study of an angry woman.

I personally am not a fan of this author based solely on not enjoying AT ALL The Emporer’s Children. Sadly, I don’t really remember why.

By: Ana @ things mean a lot

Ana @ things mean a lot — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:49:54 +0000

In reply to Ana @ things mean a lot. Oops, wrong link :P