das_
Answered a promptWhat are your favorite books of all time?
City of a Thousand Feelings somehow manages to be both very direct and, at other times, highly abstract in its messaging. DeNiro's awfully flowery language makes it fun to simply read along, but the records of her queer, mystical fantasy constantly challenge you to decode and then immediately discard interpretations. Perhaps there's a hidden meaning behind every single one of her words, or maybe some of it is purely self-indulgent - but regardless, it all culminates in pure catharsis. In spite of its brevity, this book truly evoked a thousand feelings.
City of a Thousand Feelings somehow manages to be both very direct and, at other times, highly abstract in its messaging. DeNiro's awfully flowery language makes it fun to simply read along, but the records of her queer, mystical fantasy constantly challenge you to decode and then immediately discard interpretations. Perhaps there's a hidden meaning behind every single one of her words, or maybe some of it is purely self-indulgent - but regardless, it all culminates in pure catharsis. In spite of its brevity, this book truly evoked a thousand feelings.
Even though the glorification of individualism and seclusion in Demian, especially its tendency to heap indirect praise on the reader, can be overbearing at times, it overall comes across as a very earnest coming-of-age story. Learning to chase one's dream no matter what, seeking answers to one's questions within oneself yet staying in conversation with like-minded people, and seeing through the fate of humanity because that's all we can do are all great messages. It's easy to see why this book would have had such a positive reception in 1917, right around the time people were desperate for answers to the Great War, but it arguably remains relevant to this very day.
Even though the glorification of individualism and seclusion in Demian, especially its tendency to heap indirect praise on the reader, can be overbearing at times, it overall comes across as a very earnest coming-of-age story. Learning to chase one's dream no matter what, seeking answers to one's questions within oneself yet staying in conversation with like-minded people, and seeing through the fate of humanity because that's all we can do are all great messages. It's easy to see why this book would have had such a positive reception in 1917, right around the time people were desperate for answers to the Great War, but it arguably remains relevant to this very day.
