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In Vendela Vida’s taut and mesmerizing novel of ideas, a woman travels to Casablanca, Morocco, on mysterious business. Almost immediately, while checking into her hotel, she is robbed, her passport and all identification stolen. The crime is investigated by the police, but the woman feels there is a strange complicity between the hotel staff and the authorities—she knows she’ll never see her possessions again.
Stripped of her identity, she feels both burdened by the crime and liberated by her sudden freedom to be anyone at all. Then, a chance encounter with a film crew provides an intriguing opportunity: A producer sizes her up and asks, would she be willing to be the body-double for a movie star filming in the city? And so begins a strange journey in which she’ll become a stand-in—both on-set and off—for a reclusive celebrity who can no longer circulate freely in society while gradually moving further away from the person she was when she arrived in Morocco.
My thoughts:
You go into this book thinking you know what will happen. But you are wrong, and realize that you do not know anything. You do not even know who is speaking, or if you are you.
Ok so the whole point with that was to show how the book is written in 2nd POV. At first I was a bit what? I can't even remember the last thing I read anything in 2nd POV. But in the end it did help with the dilemma the main character is facing.
The main character, who has no name, since we are on the outside and in her head. She comes to Casablanca, her things gets stolen. She takes on another persona. She gets a job all the sudden. She wonders about her stolen persona. She is lying to everyone. And then we found out that she is also lying to herself. Little by little the pieces fall aside and we learn about her. That is when I really started to feel sorry for her.
The book feels intense even though it's short and not intense. It might feels so cos we are stuck in her head. You feel what you feel.
The end was rather sudden, I did want more. But I wish her the best.
Conclusion:
Enjoyable.
Cover
eh
Paperback, 224 pages
Expected publication: September 17th 2015 by Atlantic Books
Fiction
for review
Oh I like the twist of a mystery narrator
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteIt looks like an interesting and original book :)
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was
DeleteI can't remember the last thing I've read in 2nd person POV either. It always takes me a little while to adjust to 2nd person, but I'm glad you enjoyed it for the most part!
ReplyDeleteIt sure took time, and I still can't remember the last time
DeleteInteresting concept.
ReplyDeleteKaren @For What It's Worth
Oh yes
DeleteWild. The whole 2nd person POV has me intrigued. Normally I hate when someone talks like that, but if the story is captivating, it could work. Cool.
ReplyDeleteIt threw me off at first, but then I learned to go with it
DeleteThe cover does not grab me at all, to be honest. But the description sounds interesting though. Casablanca, Morocco is always a setting that intrigues me ;-)
ReplyDelete~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
It's very meh looking
DeleteHm... not sure if this one is for me. I don't know if I'd get into it quickly but that ending is what kills it for me. I hate abrupt.
ReplyDeleteIt was one of those the reader can decide endings, but I do not want to
DeleteI coworker of mine lost her passport when she out and about in another country. Luckily she found it!
ReplyDeleteBut this sounds interesting. A maybe for me.
Yes luckily! Not a good thing to get lost
Deleteit sounds really different from what we usually find.
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly
DeleteOh wow, this sounds like a book for me. I've read a couple books written this way and loved them.
ReplyDeleteThen you have to give it a go
DeleteI can't remember the last time I read anything in the 2nd person POV. Sounds like it could be interesting and very different.
ReplyDeleteThere are not many of them out there
DeleteI felt anxious just reading your review! Because of that and it's short I'd probably read it :)
ReplyDeleteTry to find it :D
DeleteI have never read second person POV. Need to remedy that just to see what its like. Interesting premise, here.
ReplyDeleteIt's really rare
DeleteOk you have me very curious..I want to know what happens
ReplyDeleteAhhh I read one in 2nd person present pov a while back (or attempted to read it) so made my brain hurt.
ReplyDeleteLOl, I hear ya
DeleteSounds experimental and well done. I'm curious!
ReplyDeleteGood
DeleteThis sounds interesting. I don't know when I've read something in the 2nd person last.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be rare
Delete