The Character of Rain - Amelie Nothomb

01.08.05

48%


 
The harder this tried to be deep 'n' meaningful, the more inconsequential it turned out to be. She is quite good at imagining the solipsism of a three year old but it's just too weighed down with its own importance as a novel as well as a character.

Fear and Trembling - Amelie Nothomb

66%
14.12.04




I read this in two hours as an antidote to Dan Rhodes' pessimism. This, too, is a slightly surreal tale of betrayal and revenge, but told with a lighter touch and a sense of hope. It's also a story of racism and ignorance - from all sides - a fable of cultural misunderstanding. So not entirely a good choice to dilute the cynicism.