A Bit of a Flop? My Friends by Hisham Matar [Spoiler Free Review]
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- Spoiler free review of My Friends by Hisham Matar - A Booker Prize 2024 Longlisted book.
You can check out @EricKarlAnderson review here - • My Friends by Hisham M...
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A shame you didn't feel an emotional connection to the central character and that you didn't enjoy it more, but interesting to hear your honest reaction to the book. It is interesting to consider what the novel might have been like if it'd been narrated from a different character's point of view though I found it really interesting to consider how he was caught in a limbo state of life and continued to live in exile from his native country even after it was safer for him to return. Before reading the novel did you know about this historical incident in 1984 involving gunfire on a peaceful protest in central London? It was a surprising to me to learn that it was real since I hadn't heard of the event before and it was quite sobering for me to then visit the memorial to the police woman who was killed in this square. I love it when novels tip me off to recent historical events I wasn't previously aware of. You may not be interested in exploring anything else by this author but I'd really recommend reading Matar's memoir The Return which concerns his personal loss, sense of exile and his father's disappearance under the Gaddafi regime.
I didn’t know that it was a real historical event before, very scary! I can imagine that visiting the memorial having read this would have been very emotional.
I’m sad that this one didn’t work for me, but I am still keen to try Matars memoir.
Thanks for your thoughts Eric 🧡
I felt similarly to you. The author says as part of the winding up of the story that it's "undramatic" which is how I felt about it. It could be called "People I knew". It was much easier to read than This Strange Eventful History, and I prefer My Friends over that one, but it was solidly average for me.
Solidly average is the perfect way to describe it. I don’t think I’m even going to attempt Strange Evenful History, from all the reviews I’ve heard I’m pretty sure I won’t like it 😬
@@GemofBooks yes I think your time is much better spent elsewhere! 📖😅
I just finished reading it tonight. I completely agree. I'm about to start reading Matar's memoir, The Return. I think it'll be more up my alley :)
You’ll have to let me know if you enjoy the memoir more 👍🏻
@@GemofBooks So I finished Matar's memoir. It suffers from the same problem as My Friends, believe it or not. I can see Khaled's voice in Matar and both are kinda emotionally unapproachable? With the memoir I was left feeling Matar's anger, but not really his pain, though he describes it. He's a good writer, but I don't a connection.
@madworld1962 ahhh, thanks for letting me know. I think I’ll give it a miss 😬
"The Natural way of things" by Charlotte Wood ended up being a bit of a flop for me (3.25☆).
I'm not sure what exactly the message was supposed to be and the premise and how the story unfolded didn't really make sense to me.
It was well written and engaging enough but nebulous and unbelievable.
I understand why the person in the live chat gave it 2☆ but I liked it more than that.
Ahhh that’s a shame. Hey ho - onto the next eh?!
Always good to hear your thoughts and reviews so thank you for sharing it with us. I think I will try a sample of both the audio and the physical just to see. ❤
I’m intrigued to see if this will be the ‘Trespasses’ of the Booker 😂
I almost bought this on last week. Still not sure, but I appreciate hearing your thoughts.
I think this is definitely a Brian book!
A shame! I’m going to predict right now that you won’t find a better book than James on the list. Even though I’ve yet to read it myself 😂
I’m predicting the same mate - I don’t know why I put myself through this ever year 🫣
This is my favorite book of the year so far. Perhaps one needs to live under dictatorship to connect with he character :)
I’m glad you loved it. I definitely think I’m in the minority with my opinion.
I'm reading this next. I'm sorry it wasnt a winner for you. Im half way through The Safekeep and I like the writing a lot and am enjoying disliking the main character. Looking forward to your thoughts on that one.
The Safekeep will be next up for me!
I hope you like My Friends more than I did 😬
Thank you for your review. Love to hear your thoughts on a book .
You’re welcome matey 🧡
Ohhhh .... this is one I wanted to read from the list. Still might read it but it is not near the top. 😊💙
If you haven’t read James yet I’d defo start with that over this 😄
@@GemofBooks James is a must read for me.
It’s sliding to the end of my Booker tbr. 📚
Yeah - I’m not sure you’ll love it Ange 🫣
I have ordered it from the library, but will have to wait some weeks more. Curious, if I can detect any emotions in the book.
There definitely are emotions, just to subtle for me. I prefer to be smacked in the face with emotional anguish, and this doesn’t do that 😂
Oh no! I am so looking forward to reading this book! I hope this is one of the ones that we will disagree on. 😬
I hope so too - if Goodreads ratings are anything to go by, I am not in the majority with this one
I’m currently listening to Wild Houses and two other Irish books
The Coast Road and
The Alternatives
I finished Wild Houses - how are you getting on with it?
I’m reading this next on no xx
Hopefully you’ll disagree with me 😬😂