ish-i-ness reviewed Optic Nerve by María Gainza
Review of 'Optic Nerve' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Sometimes my experience with a book makes it hard to write a real review. It wasn’t a bad book but I never got excited by it. I listened to this as an audiobook while walking to work, doing errands, playing games, etc. That is to say: I did not give it my full attention. At my listening speed, the audiobook was less than three hours. And yet it took me a month to get through it. I had the ebook too. I could have read it myself, but I never wanted to. I’m a layperson when it comes to art history so I’m not an expert but it’s something I have an interested in. I never really cared about the art history elements of this book. I find it odd they’re so prominent in what is otherwise a work of fiction. It comes across as an essay more than a …
Sometimes my experience with a book makes it hard to write a real review. It wasn’t a bad book but I never got excited by it. I listened to this as an audiobook while walking to work, doing errands, playing games, etc. That is to say: I did not give it my full attention. At my listening speed, the audiobook was less than three hours. And yet it took me a month to get through it. I had the ebook too. I could have read it myself, but I never wanted to. I’m a layperson when it comes to art history so I’m not an expert but it’s something I have an interested in. I never really cared about the art history elements of this book. I find it odd they’re so prominent in what is otherwise a work of fiction. It comes across as an essay more than a novel or series of short stories or whatever it is. As essays, they might have been interesting. As short stories, where the art history is only mentioned rather than detailed, I may have liked the book. As it is, I’m just left confused as to what my approach to reading it should be. If I took the time I might be able to get more out of it but I’m. Not convinced it would be worth the effort. It’s fine, I guess I enjoyed the thoughts about art and it’s place in our singular culture as individuals, but I don’t think I’ll be recommending it.
