Her Fearful Symmetry
Audrey Niffenegger
September 2009
416 pages
I think everything there is to say about this one has just about been said. If you want to know how I felt about the book, you should read Chris’s review, as she did a great job of summarizing my feelings. Last week, she mentioned on Twitter how she struggled with the review (it doesn’t show) and we talked about the characters, and I mentioned I could just summarize them as the 7 Dwarves. And the more I thought about it, the more it sounded like a much better idea than actually coming up with something to say that hadn’t already been said.
So. I give to you the Her Fearful Symmetry version of the 7 Dwarves:
Creepy – Julia
Moody – Valentina
Twitchy – Martin
Smarty – Marijike
Wimpy – Robert
Sneaky – Edie
and
the Body Snatcher – Elspeth
I love your dwarves. It’s particularly funny because my sister started calling Happy “Fatty” when we were in high school, and my mom thought we were calling Sneezy “Sleezy.”
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..GLBT Challenge 2010 =-.
I’m always amazed by how difficult it actually is to remember all of their names!
I had a hard time writing a review for this one as well. Same with other popular books like The Hunger Games!
I know! After seeing all of the reviews, I feel like there’s nothing left to say.
You are so creative! I still haven’t read The Time Traveler’s Wife yet so I doubt I’ll get to Her Fearful Summetry soon.
.-= Vasilly´s last blog ..Sunday Salon: A Day Full of Challenges =-.
Thanks! And I loved TTTW…I hope you have plans to read it someday.
Lol I love it.
I haven’t read this one yet, but TTW is one of my favorite books, so I’m afraid my expectations might be a little too high for HFS. We’ll see.
.-= Heather @ Book Addiction´s last blog ..New Blanket from Reading Comfort =-.
I think high expectations is what did me in. Well, that and the twist the book took. I like odd, but this was nonsensical odd.
Short, sweet, and to the point – excellent review! I agree with you (and Chris)… for me, Her Fearful Symmetry was a complete letdown.
.-= Susan B. Evans´s last blog ..Musing Mondays =-.
Thanks…for my next review, I’ll be re-naming the reindeer.
(kidding!)
I’m reading HFS now (can’t let my stalker persona fade now can I?) and the names you gave the characters fit perfectly! I am totally creeped out with Elspeth in her little drawer. That visual is keeping me up at nights but then I read Moby and that takes care of that. Nah…just kidding as I’ve only read my first four pages and can’t say how it’s going to go this time around.
.-= Ti´s last blog ..Moby Dick Monday: The Kick-off! =-.
Now I’m curious as to what you’ll think of the direction HFS goes.
I’ll have to pop over and read Chris’ review. I think your character names are appropriate, now that I think back, but I did enjoy this book. Not to the point of raving about it, but it was decent and actually made me want to read another ghost story. I just picked up The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.
.-= Scobberlotcher´s last blog ..Teaser Tuesday: Madame Bovary =-.
Uh-oh… TLS was a bit of a let-down for me, too. Although still good, because Waters can write. Not that Niffenegger can’t, but Waters is damn good, even when the story falls a bit flat.
I love the way you’ve summarised the characters. I thought Her Fearful Symmetry was OK, but I did feel a bit let down after loving TTW so much.
.-= Jackie (Farm Lane Books)´s last blog ..The Nutmeg Tree – Margery Sharp =-.
Yeah, and there was all that build-up and anticipation about the book…
As soon as I read the book, I’ll be back to comment on the names.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Review: After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr =-.
Can’t wait to see your reactions to the book!
Oh my…you are so creative! I love this post and haven’t even read the book yet!
.-= JoAnn´s last blog ..Teaser Tuesdays – North River =-.
Thanks!
LOL! yes, those names suit them all. Thanks for the shout out!
.-= Chris@bookarama´s last blog ..Louis Riel, A Comic Strip Biography by Chester Brown: Review =-.
You’re welcome…thanks for writing it so I didn’t have to!
I haven’t decided if I want to try this one or not since the reviews seem to be all over the place. Yours made me laugh!
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Giveaway: The Paper Bag Christmas =-.
This is one of those books I’m not sure I’d be comfortable recommended…it could go horribly wrong.
I’m so glad you didn’t give more of a review or I would have had to do the la-la-la-la thing. (It’s in my pile…)
.-= rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..Review of Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris =-.
You need to stop reading all those vampire books and move on.
Yep, this book has certainly been all over the place! But this marks the first time I’ve actually bothered to read a review. So the characters are seriously one-dimensional?
.-= EL Fay´s last blog ..Teaser Tuesday =-.
They’re not that bad. I actually really liked Martin. But the story goes places it just shouldnt’ve gone.
I still dnt remember the names of the 7 dwarfs! God!
off to read Chris’s review!
.-= Veens´s last blog ..Cover Attractions! =-.
Very creative review.
I’ve have to keep your list handy when I read the book so I can compare notes. LOL
I have this book but haven’t read it yet. I hope to start soon. Love the way you summarized the characters. lol.
.-= Darlene´s last blog ..Teaser Tuesdays (Nov 17) =-.
Looks like I should get to this one soon. Loved the character comparison.
.-= diane´s last blog ..176 – Have a Little Faith: A True Story; Mitch Albom =-.
I need to keep your 7 Dwarves list handy for when (if?) I get around to reading this one.
This sounds like a great read, I’m interested in checking out the book, where does the phrase in the title come from? it sounds familiar…
The Reader
I’m a Bookworm
.-= The Reader´s last blog ..Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk =-.
Now this is the kind of review I can get behind – not really spoilers and yet sets up a conflicting set of expectations. and it’s short.
.-= Care´s last blog ..Books in My Future =-.
I started reading this, and then it had to go back to the library, and while I was reading along fine, I didn’t mind slipping it through the drop-box and moving on to something else. I guess I missed the weird turn of events!
.-= Ali (worducopia)´s last blog ..See You in a Hundred Years–Logan Ward =-.
I love your summary for this one! I struggled with my review too – I think it was an indication of just how much I struggled with the book.
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Her Fearful Symmetry – Audrey Niffenegger =-.
Love it!!! Now what am I going to do in my review? I’m still struggling with it … the book I wanted to love and then read and was excited about but fell out of love with? Argh.
.-= Jenners´s last blog ..Review: Lit by Mary Karr =-.
Your dwarfy names are very good.
I just read the review you linked to on book-a-rama and agree with the comments. I was really into the atmospheric setting and the mystery about Edie and Elspeth’s feud, and then BAM – the bad idea. I continued reading the story (I do like suspense!), but with slightly less enjoyment. I’ve not read Time Traveler’s Wife; I just didn’t think I’d care for it. Seems like a lot of peoples’ favorite – should I give it a try?
p.s. At least I learned about Postman’s Park in London! There was a scene there in the move “Closer,” and I always wondered where it was.
http://www.thejoyofshards.co.uk/london/tiles/ppark/index.shtml