This was such an interesting story, including the writing style. Sentence after sentence was started with ‘and’ even when the sentences use it as a conjunction: “And I stuck up for Quimet’s mother and said yes, she had put salt in the food. And the neighbour said if she ate food that was too salty…” (pg. 35). It reads as though it’s her unfiltered train of thought and her mind is running like a doped up hamster’s wheel. This alongside her sparse use of commas gives off the impression of a breathless way of communication, as though she’s so wrapped up in trying to get through what she’s saying that she couldn’t stop even if she wanted to. She also didn’t appear to pause to analyze what she was saying, with little thought once anything was put out there. Considering Natalia has supposedly had years to go over these events in her mind, it kind of gives the impression of her reliving the events that contain a lot of unprocessed feelings. Perhaps largely Anxiety or PTSD? Which would make sense all things considered. It felt raw in a way most novels don’t. I mean I personally write the equivalent of run on sentences quite often, but go back and edit them out. In this case the author didn’t, which creates an interesting effect.
As much as Natalia is a relatively interesting character, she has aspects of self-imposed helplessness. She knows what’s going on around her (directly usually, not largely), including with others, but she doesn’t even consider doing anything? It’s like she needs a sympathetic audience, at least moreso than the friend she complains to, because apparently that girl isn’t enabling enough. That being said there are times she is rather unaware on a larger scale, such as when the war crept up on her. I mean there were certainly foreshadowed moments, such was when “the rich were mad at the republic” (pg 79), but it doesn’t click for her until later. I love the show of how ignorant and oblivious people can be when wrapped up in their own lives. I mean she was so focused on ridding the house of doves that she basically missed the entirety of the political situation? Though it’s totally in character, if she had worried over or even anticipated anything, it wouldn’t have been in character. Throughout the entire book we are truly just at the tender (skewed) mercy of Natalia’s interpretation of the world.
Despite all of this, I definitely ended up injecting my own perspective into the novel, which made it kind of a frustrating read considering Natalia’s personality. I was reading through and getting so annoyed by her not getting what a piece of trash Quimet was being (Colometa seemed a little cute at first… it did not last). But this largely goes back to the frustration her not helping herself at times, I’d argue. Sometimes I had to put the book down (metaphorically, I was reading a pdf) just to take a break from Natalia being pushed around, and in a way take back some of that lack of control she has.
Q: Would you change anything about the writing style if you could? Do you think it would add or detract from the story itself?
4 replies on “Natalia – I promise divorce is legal now… I guess you don’t really need it anymore but still”
“Perhaps largely Anxiety or PTSD? Which would make sense all things considered. It felt raw in a way most novels don’t.” Interestingly, I had a similar feeling when I first read it. On the one hand, there seems to be a disjointed record of what’s happening around her, in that stream of consciousness, with an appearance of rawness… however, as you’ve rightly noticed, it all contributes to the “effect.” I wonder how much of the compelling nature of what we read in the book is due to this wise decision by the author.
Hi Ava, I really enjoyed reading your blog post because you did such a good analysis of the actual writing style and how that might convey meaning through the use of ‘and’. I also agree this novel felt very raw!
Hi Ava,
I liked your point about Natalia seeming very inactive and not fully aware of what is happening to her. While reading I kept thinking it’s less that she doesn’t do anything and more that her options keep shrinking. At first it’s Quimet making decisions for her, but later the war and hunger become the real limits. By the end she isn’t really deciding how to live, she’s just trying to survive. Regarding the writing style, I would not change it. I found it engaging and it gives us details of what preoccupies her mind, which I found interesting.
Ava, I loved how you did a deep dive into the writing style especially pointing out certain things like the sparse use of commas. Thinking about it, I agree with you and think that if the style were to change it might not feel as raw as it did reading this!