In order to have due appreciation for Clarice Lispector, one needs to read a short biography of her life. She was a fashion journalist, short story writer, novelist, award winner, and artist painter. In her personal life, she was a wife, mother and independent woman after she left her husband.
I chose to buy Complete Stories as it is a Collected Stories from Ms Lispector. Shorts will be easier to read.
This book is divided into eight sections. The first is
FIRST STORIES, THEN
FAMILY TIES
THE FOREIGN LEGION
COVERT JOY
WHERE WERE YOU AT NIGHT
THE VIAS CRUCIS OF THE BODY
VISION OF SPLENDOR
and
FINAL STORIES.
FIRST STORIES
The Triumph (first short story in this segment called FIRST STORIES)
A short story typically focuses on one scene, in one slice of time. Luisa has a flash back of her latest clash with her husband. He couldn’t tolerate more than a fortnight with her, before he blames her for being overbearing. He again packed his bags and left.
Her husband is not named but the reader has doubts about him. What kind of husband leaves his wife again and again? Does he not love her enough to want to protect her? I don’t “speak” lightly. I know of many husbands who left their wives, for various reasons, some trivial. Even when this is only a fictional story, I would not take lightly the portrayal of a troubled man.
THIS REVIEW WILL CONTINUE IN THIS POST SOON.
Reference
Lispector, Clarice. (2015) Complete Stories. Penguin Books: Great Britain
Link to
Bookish Bliss, Musings & More – May 1 2025 in her category category https://www.betweenthebookends.blog/category/bookish-bliss-musings-more/ a quarterly post.
