On a Woman's Madness

bailed

Just after @Graywacke ‘s review that should encourage me to continue, I do bail on this one. It reads like a fever dream, these memoirs of a Surinam-Dutch woman but I can‘t make head nor tail of it. #bookerinternational

Hooked_on_books I applaud this choice. This one didn‘t work for me at all. 6d

sarahbarnes I finished it, but really didn‘t like it and I had high hopes going in. 5d

Graywacke I‘m glad you‘re not tormenting yourself with it. I liked a lot, but we‘re all different readers. 5d

dabbe #hailthebail! 🙌 #betterbooksahead 5d

69 likes4 comments

Graywacke

On a Woman's Madness | Astrid Roemer

pick

I loved this book. It‘s a literary look at Surname around 1980. The main characters is a Jewish-African mixed-race. She leaves her black husband after nine days and goes to the capital to some wild affairs. The language captures the lush surroundings, but it leaves gaps the reader has to fill in. I loved that. Negative capability with intent. It works. #booker #IB2025

Graywacke @AnnaCecilie @BarbaraBB @BookishTrish @Leniverse @Suet624 @TheKidUpstairs 6d

Suet624 Oh! I didn‘t realize this was on the booker list! 6d

BarbaraBB I just starters it and find it hard to get into so I‘m glad for this recommendation! 6d

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Graywacke

On a Woman's Madness | Astrid Roemer

This book from a Suriname-Dutch author was originally published in Dutch in 1982. It was 1st translated to English in 2023, and this year made the 2025 International #Booker longlist. I just started. The language is rich.
#IB2025

sarahbarnes Will be interested in your review of this one. I didn‘t like it as much as I hoped to. 4w

Graywacke @sarahbarnes interesting. So far i‘m sold. I‘m enjoying the language and multiculturalism, and just being in Suriname and in the early 1980‘s literary world (she published this is 1982!) 4w

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RaeLovesToRead

On a Woman's Madness | Astrid Roemer

pick

This poetic novel follows Noenka, a woman in Suriname, who leaves her (awful) husband to make her own way in life.

It is written in a confusing and disjointed way that made it difficult to follow, but the writing was gorgeous and powerful.

Agree this may be a good pick for fans of Toni Morrison.

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sarahbarnes

On a Woman's Madness | Astrid Roemer

so-so

My second book from the Booker Intl longlist and one I wanted to like more than I did. Most of the time I just felt confused. The story got most compelling toward the end, but even then it fell short for me.

BarbaraBB I‘ll temper my expectations. I read it in my teens but don‘t remember a thing about it. I‘ll reread it soon 2mo

sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB I could identify with the character, but always felt at arms length from the story. I don‘t know if it was just that the style it was written in wasn‘t for me? I‘m impressed that you read it in your teens! 2mo

BarbaraBB She is Dutch-Surinam, her story was very relevant at the time. 2mo

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Liz_M

On a Woman's Madness | Astrid Roemer

#WhereAreYouMonday

Well, this book was ridiculously hard to search for in Litsy. In any case, I am in Suriname.

BarbaraBB I read this so long ago. Will reread it soon. Are you enjoying it? 2mo

Liz_M @BarbaraBB It's a bit nebulous -- I am neve sure where/when I am, but I do like the language. 2mo

BarbaraBB I‘ll reread it soon! 2mo

sarahbarnes Just got a copy of this from the library because of the Booker Intl longlist. I‘ve never read it. Good to know your thoughts on it so far. 2mo

26 likes4 comments

Hooked_on_books

On a Woman's Madness | Astrid Roemer

pan

Despite being one of the books I was more intrigued about from the NBA translated literature list (plus, it made the shortlist), this just didn‘t do anything for me. It tended to jump around in a way I didn‘t like, I didn‘t care for the writing, and it didn‘t have a strong sense of place in #Suriname.

#ReadingAmericas2023

Librarybelle, BarbaraBB

Librarybelle That‘s a shame! 2y

BarbaraBB I remember feeling that way too when I read it, but that was ages ago. I hoped it would have gained relevance in the mean time but I do doubt that now. 2y

Hooked_on_books @BarbaraBB I feel like some of the topics covered were really worthwhile, but it just didn‘t really work. I‘m disappointed to see it on the short list. 2y

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Hooked_on_books

On a Woman's Madness | Astrid Roemer

It‘s the most wonderful week of the year: the release of the National Book Award longlists! 🥳🎉🎊 Above is translated lit, which you can read more about here: https://www.nationalbook.org/2023-national-book-awards-longlist-for-translated-l...

Plus, the tagged is set in Suriname, which I need for #ReadingAmericas2023. Bonus! Tomorrow, the nonfiction list (probably my favorite)!

BarbaraBB Thanks! Diving into it! 2y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen You were looking for some good NF right? See Holly‘s post! (edited) 2y

BarbaraBB The Astrid Roemer one is an oldie, it was published in the Netherlands in 1982! 2y

Hooked_on_books @BarbaraBB Clearly it has stood the test of time! I love when a book can make an impact so many years later for whatever reason, in this case because it‘s finally been translated. 2y

42 likes4 comments

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