Anne Merrill reviewed Chronology of Water by Lidia Yuknavitch
Review of 'Chronology of Water' on 'Goodreads'
At a party maybe 15 years ago, a smart interesting woman who I really liked recommended this book. She spoke of it so dreamily, I felt I just HAD to read it. But somehow it just sat on my "to read" list all this time. I started listening to the audiobook and I didn't get into it at all. I found it harsh and dark, and the writing feels like a personal journal. I think I was expecting that it would feel intellectual, but instead it read like navel gazing. It seemed like it was going to get darker and whinier and I just didn't want to go on the ride. Maybe I would have enjoyed it when I was in a different phase of life. If I wanted something this personal I would read Virginia Woolf, but I don't have the emotional bandwidth to spare right now. Enough of …
At a party maybe 15 years ago, a smart interesting woman who I really liked recommended this book. She spoke of it so dreamily, I felt I just HAD to read it. But somehow it just sat on my "to read" list all this time. I started listening to the audiobook and I didn't get into it at all. I found it harsh and dark, and the writing feels like a personal journal. I think I was expecting that it would feel intellectual, but instead it read like navel gazing. It seemed like it was going to get darker and whinier and I just didn't want to go on the ride. Maybe I would have enjoyed it when I was in a different phase of life. If I wanted something this personal I would read Virginia Woolf, but I don't have the emotional bandwidth to spare right now. Enough of my own sadness without spending my reading time sinking into someone else's. I'm not going to give a star rating, maybe it just hit me wrong.