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sameenshakya's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
obsessioncollector's review
reflective
5.0
"Those who loved her don’t meet her,
anyone who’s seen her counts her a myth,
and her tongue has forgotten all names
and only in prayer speaks that of the One."
anyone who’s seen her counts her a myth,
and her tongue has forgotten all names
and only in prayer speaks that of the One."
_drucifer_'s review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
aceface's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Gabriela Mistral’s “lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world” won her the prize in 1945. Madwomen is a series of poems about women - some real, others not; some who will be familiar from the Bible, Greek mythology and history. They aren’t actually mad/insane but are sometimes perceived that way by others. Rather they are strong and incredibly human but facing difficult, almost impossible situations. Some of the poems are almost viscerally emotional, packed with powerful imagery and turns of phrase which brought me up short. I didn’t have a favourite per se but loved coming across Clytemnestra to soon after finishing a book about her and being able to compare Mistrals’s take with that of the novelist - a wonderful case of bookish serendipity. I really appreciated that this collection included a comprehensive biography of Mistral, as well as a lengthy translators note which gave some fascinating insights into the hows and whys of the translation process.