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switterbug (Betsey)'s Reviews > All Fours
All Fours
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DNF and I don't have a profound reason why I lost interest. It isn't cohering for me--it reads like a diatribe from a very intense, overwrought narrator. It's difficult for me to maintain interest (without becoming exhausted) with a first person narrator that is this frenzied, extreme and emotionally ravaged. It's almost like listening to someone coked up for hours at a time. THEY think they are interesting, but in fact I just get weary. Perhaps I will return to it later? But when 12 days go by and I am only on page 101, I think it is time to move on, for now.
Also, the sex scenes aren't sexy, they make me never want to have sex again!
Miranda July is a creative, imaginative, and talented woman. She is an author, a performance artist, actor, filmmaker, musician, and she also does artistic installations. I respect her talent and her energy, but this book was too over the top for me. I tried going back to it, but all this vibrating energy drained me.
Also, the sex scenes aren't sexy, they make me never want to have sex again!
Miranda July is a creative, imaginative, and talented woman. She is an author, a performance artist, actor, filmmaker, musician, and she also does artistic installations. I respect her talent and her energy, but this book was too over the top for me. I tried going back to it, but all this vibrating energy drained me.
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Reading Progress
May 29, 2024
–
Started Reading
May 29, 2024
– Shelved
June 9, 2024
–
Finished Reading
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message 1:
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Bonnie G.
(last edited Jun 09, 2024 08:21PM)
(new)
Jun 09, 2024 08:14PM
I try so hard to enjoy Miranda July, but it never works out for me. I love that she exists and has an audience, but our respective senses of humor do not seem to intersect. Ever. Sorry you didn't have any luck either.
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We just picked this for book club!
Bonnie G. wrote: "I try so hard to enjoy Miranda July, but it never works out for me. I love that she exists and has an audience, but our respective senses of humor do not seem to intersect. Ever. Sorry you didn't h..."Bonnie--this was my first time trying her. I keep thinking there is something wrong with MY sensibilities, but maybe, as you mentioned, it's possible that my see of humor doesn't intersect with July's.
Anna wrote: "We just picked this for book club!"Anna--I hope you do like it. It's not a bad book, it's just not for everyone. Either that, or I need to wait for a different mood!
Anna wrote: "We just picked this for book club!"Let me know what you think Anna. It may be just me. I loved Kajillionaire, but most things she has pumped out feel like (as Tim Gunn would say) student work.
Betsey, I think you did the right thing in DNF-ing it! It sounds just awful.😝
Jodi wrote: "Betsey, I think you did the right thing in DNF-ing it! It sounds just awful.😝"Thx, Jodi! There are just so many books out there waiting to be read. I don't want to struggle through a book that is this repellent.
Good for you, Betsey . Not worth spending tge time when all those good books await.
Overwrought is Miranda July in a nutshell. Glad you kept me from attempting to crack this one open!
Angela M wrote: "Good for you, Betsey . Not worth spending tge time when all those good books await."Exactly, Angela! There are p many books on my list that I always have one ready to roll out!
Gila wrote: "Overwrought is Miranda July in a nutshell. Glad you kept me from attempting to crack this one open!"Gila, if only July was a little bit of something else besides overwrought!
You gave it more of a shot than I would -- getting 100 pages in. Next! I also struggle, often, with first-person narration - because, often, it is so poorly written. So this is a hard pass for me.
I just read a review of this yesterday of someone who loved it, and it piqued my interest. I’m grateful to see yours to temper my expectations, Betsey. I feel I must try one of her novels, so we shall see…Thanks for your review :)
Jennifer wrote: "I just read a review of this yesterday of someone who loved it, and it piqued my interest. I’m grateful to see yours to temper my expectations, Betsey. I feel I must try one of her novels, so we sh..."Oh, absolutely, Jennifer! I definitely see July's talent, and my word is surely not the last word. It is just my specific taste. Some folks despise raw oysters, whereas I love them. This isn't a mater of being a bad book, but it's a bad book for me. I always hope that my friends on GR will enjoy every book they select! I look forward to seeing a Miranda July review from you, Jennifer : )
My wife took a shot at one of her novels and gave up. However, we both enjoy her films and acting so maybe literature isn't her forté.
Dennis wrote: "My wife took a shot at one of her novels and gave up. However, we both enjoy her films and acting so maybe literature isn't her forté."Dennis, that sounds about right. Her acting is sincere and confident, if I remember.
I found it boring and confusing and so farfetched. Just didn’t get the hype and 5 star reviews
Ishtar wrote: "I found it boring and confusing and so farfetched. Just didn’t get the hype and 5 star reviews"Yup, I don't relate to all the generous hype, either!
