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decemberthirtyI finished My Michael yesterday, and I'm not sure I have much to say about it that I haven't already said. Beautiful prose, heavy interiority, a very dream-like and slow narrative.... The book didn't engage me much, but I enjoyed reading it and just letting it wash over me. Oz devotes more energy to Hannah's fantasy life than he does to the real events of her life, just as Hannah herself does. As a result the fantasy sequences are tremendous -- dark, vivid, violent, semi-sexual fever dreams that repeat endlessly through her mind -- but, knowing that they were nothing but fantasy, I was left feeling that the book gave me very little to hold onto.
I'm pleased to report that my book club's discussion about My Michael was the most interesting we've had so far. I had probably the most positive response to the book of anyone if the group; several members hated it so much they were unable to finish. It's often easier and more entertaining to talk about books that you hate, so that probably had something to do with the liveliness of our meeting, but I think it also has to do with the fact that we have recently been reading books of a higher quality than we were a few months ago. Even if you don't enjoy it, there's just more to talk about with a "better" book. (Better in quotes because what does that even mean, anyway?)
The next book club selection is Kate Chopin's The Awakening. This is one of those books that I feel is a major hole in my education, one of those "They gave you an English degree and you've never read that?" books, so I'm very glad that I'll finally be forced to read it.
I'm pleased to report that my book club's discussion about My Michael was the most interesting we've had so far. I had probably the most positive response to the book of anyone if the group; several members hated it so much they were unable to finish. It's often easier and more entertaining to talk about books that you hate, so that probably had something to do with the liveliness of our meeting, but I think it also has to do with the fact that we have recently been reading books of a higher quality than we were a few months ago. Even if you don't enjoy it, there's just more to talk about with a "better" book. (Better in quotes because what does that even mean, anyway?)
The next book club selection is Kate Chopin's The Awakening. This is one of those books that I feel is a major hole in my education, one of those "They gave you an English degree and you've never read that?" books, so I'm very glad that I'll finally be forced to read it.
