Amélie Nothomb

[lies]

I finished reading Amélie Nothomb's debut today and even though it is very probable that not too many people on this forum are interested in Nothomb's work, I felt like sharing anyway. Besides, a quick search taught me that two other members (msm and Rigana) seem to like this Belgian author, so this thread might not be a total waste.

Hygiène de l'assassin is the first novel by Nothomb that I've read. I did enjoy reading this, but I have to admit that I sometimes felt the book lacked some "maturity" (for lack of a better word). Also, it took a bit too long before it really picked up speed in my opinion, which is a bit of a problem with a novel that's only 222 pages long.

Still, Nothomb was only 25 when she wrote this, so maybe I should give her later work a shot before making up my mind.

 

[Rukia]

I liked very much two of Amelie Nothomb's books, Mercure and Antichrista. I was very captivated by the stories, and i could't drop the books untill I finished them. It was a little bit stange thet Mercure had two possible endings ( i liked the first one more).
I plan on reading other novels by this author, i now i won't regret it.

 

[stellanor]

I have read all of Nothomb's work- every year, as she publishes her new book, as I open the first page, I know I'm about to enjoy myself - she rarely disappoints as her 'corpus' is incredibly homogeneous. I like her short format, her obsessive leitmotives, her cruelty. But I also agree with you - she seems to be lacking a kind of artistic maturity (only, she's almost forty now!). All in all, I can't really rate this as Great Literature, but I nevertheless think she's a good read. As I said it might be kind of suspicious, the way all her books are kind of the same book, and I have often thought she's a mannerist/ moneymaking machine/ childish dilettante. But, fifteen years after her first book, I owe it to her: this is simply consistency. If I want to be indulgent, I could say that maybe her opera omnia will have a depth her single novels lack.
However even if the first poster didn't expect the thread to be a success - and even if it looks, indeed, anaemic- Nothomb's very, very big in Europe. I'd say she's one of the hottest, most marketable writers out here.

 

[tartan_skirt]

I bought her book Fear and Trembling on impulse when I was on holiday in America and only just got round to it a couple of days ago. It was an easy read which I managed to finish in a day, but I think that it was lacking something. Some of the book's imagery made me smile though (such as the life "spitting" her out) and altogether I thought her work ok, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get more.

 

[Enya]

Next

She's next, she's on my reading list, I had one of her books from the library and had to give it back because I didn't have time to read it, so now, in my winter holiday, she will be the first on my reading list. I can't wait to share my impressions with you.What book do you recommend anyway? what shall I start with?