I honestly love Lispector and read 30% of this massive collection before DNFing it.

I don't mind the abstract nature of her writing, and can say I rather enjoy it; however, this collection was grating on me.

The repeated stories of her experiences with maids began to pull me so far out of the stories, I started using a sociological lens to view them. While some may say that detracts from one's ability to appreciate Clarice, I say, so what.

I have always seen Clarice as a witchcrafty writer with existential meanderings that pull at the soul. This collection made me see her as a rich woman who had a lot of time on her hands to pontificate the possible meaning of all emotional and psychological experiences. This didn't help me enjoy her writing at all.

I want to enjoy the rest of her novels that I have yet to finish, and if I complete this collection, I fear I won't be able to enjoy a single thing that she's written after.