notesofacrocodile's reviews
235 reviews

i just did not expect it to end that way, it was way too abrupt. i feel like there are some cultural nuances to this that readers from other cultural contexts may have issues grasping.
 
but once you get into it, the couple around whom the story revolves really draws you in. make no mistake, the man's thoughts and actions are marked by patriarchal undertones, but within the context i still wanted to find out more about their relationship with each other, and who they were separately. 

all that being said, i have read 'pyre' by perumal murugan before and i think i definitely prefer that one as a book, as a story, to this one. in comparison to that novel, this one felt somewhat underwhelming, although i wouldn't say it is bad. i would have loved to read this one in the original tamil as well, though.

oh, those last few pages really bumped up my rating.

reading romance after so long and it was just the sort of vibe i was looking for!

stunningly lyrical prose that perfectly complements the eeriness of this story. i keep thinking about various parts of it over and over again.

ahh, this was just the perfect read! atmospheric and adequately rich in description, with a sinister creeping feeling that slowly but steadily slips in gradually once you reach past the first few pages.

if this were a whole genre, it would have been my favourite; i love reading about the mundanities of every day life in this way (no plot to speak of, just snapshots of everyday life), and through annie ernaux's keen and discerning eye this experience is made all the more better.