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What I'd Rather Not Think About
What I'd Rather Not Think About | Jente Posthuma
6 posts | 7 read | 8 to read
What if one half of a pair of twins no longer wants to live? What if the other can't live without them? This question lies at the heart of Jente Posthuma's deceptively simple What I'd Rather Not Think About. The narrator is a twin whose brother has recently taken his own life. She looks back on their childhood, and tells of their adult lives: how her brother tried to find happiness, but lost himself in various men and the Bhagwan movement, though never completely. In brief, precise vignettes, full of gentle melancholy and surprising humour, Posthuma tells the story of a depressive brother, viewed from the perspective of the sister who both loves and resents her twin, struggles to understand him, and misses him terribly.
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sarahbarnes
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Pickpick

Such a brutal, poignant portrait of grief. Grief due to loss, difficult relationships, mental illness. Very heavy but beautifully written. I loved the short vignettes that moved back and forth in time. The style felt like it mirrored the way the mind might process the grief in the story.

BarbaraBB So well said. I felt the same. 7mo
sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB I‘m not surprised to hear we felt similarly. 🩵🩵 7mo
JenP Sounds good! 7mo
38 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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RealLifeReading
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It‘s a story about suicide, the loss of a twin, coming to terms with death and grief. It‘s not a book that anyone can say that they enjoy, since it is such a heavy topic, but it was simply told, and there was beauty in simplicity. It‘s a hard read though, and won‘t be for everyone.

BarbaraBB Great review. I felt the same and think it deserves its place on the shortlist. 8mo
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BookishTrish
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A brief, heartbreaking, hopeful book about a twin left behind in grief when her brother dies by suicide. The first of my Man Booker International shortlist reads. #manbooker

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BarbaraBB
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This is my first book from the #InternationalBooker longlist. It is a Dutch one so an easy one for me to purchase and read. It‘s a book about a brother and sister, identical twins. He commits suicide in his thirties. This is no spoiler, the book is about how, despite their closeness, she can‘t protect him from his depression, he can‘t protect her from missing him. It is a sad book, written lightly, which adds to the impact.

#ATY24 Title 6+ words

squirrelbrain Sounds really good! 9mo
Cathythoughts Nice review 👍🏻♥️ 9mo
Suet624 Gah! I definitely couldn‘t read this one, considering I have twins who adore each other. 9mo
74 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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BarbaraBB
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#WeeklyForecast 14/24

I am about to finish Soldier Sailor and have lined up three more books for this week because I‘ll have a long Easter weekend off work. I am looking forward to all three of these. Alex Finlay never disappoints, a J Robert Lennon is always a treat and the Dutch one (tagged) is from the #InternationalBooker longlist. If I‘ll finish them all I have more #womenprize books to choose from 😀

Megabooks J Robert Lennon was tagged as this author's mentor in the acknowledgements. I haven't written a review yet, but I loved this choice from last year's camp litsy longlist. 9mo
BarbaraBB @Megabooks That is quite a recommendation: both you and Lennon. I‘ll stack immediately! 9mo
squirrelbrain Have a great week! 9mo
See All 10 Comments
BarbaraBB @Megabooks I am starting the Lennon and he thanks Ann Patchett in his acknowledgements. Wow 🥰 9mo
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain Thanks Helen. You too. Are you back from camping? 9mo
MaCa I'd love to hear your take on Kilroy! 9mo
squirrelbrain Yes, we‘re back….and back to work with a vengeance! 😬 9mo
BarbaraBB @MaCa I just finished it. Will post my review soon! 9mo
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain But you will be free for Easter I think? 9mo
MaCa @BarbaraBB 😁 9mo
70 likes10 comments