Title: What I Loved: A Novel
Author: Siri Hustvedt
ISBN: 9780312421199
Length: 370 pages
Publication Date: 2003
Publisher: Picador
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Source: Harris County Public Library
Reasons for Reading: As I perused the 1001 Books list for a 2000s book, I noticed Siri Hustvedt’s What I Loved and posted this book as an option for my annual challenge. Since What I Loved was less than four hundred pages, I felt reading it wouldn’t take me long. Hustvedt’s book received the majority of votes and I requested it from Harris County Public Library (HCPL).
Summary: Beginning in 1975 New York City, art historian Leo Hertzberg (narrator of the story) finds a painting which entrances him in a SoHo gallery. After buying the painting, he tracks down Bill Wechsler, the artist. Hertzberg and Wechsler build a great friendship spanning twenty-five years. Additionally, their wives, Erica and Lucille, respectively, fall pregnant. Hertzberg and Erica have Matthew while Wechsler and Lucille have Mark. Later, Wechsler becomes involved with his muse, Violet. The novel follows these relationships; their joys and losses.
One Thing I Learned from this book: I knew macular deg
What I Loved: The rich characterization brought these characters to life. I saw Bill Wechsler as well as Lucille and Violet. The clarity amazed me.
What I Loathed: Not in the stupid sense of this word; this book was dense. Normally, I can read roughly twenty pages in an evening. However, it took me that long to read a single paragraph. Yes, even the title provided hints of things to come in this novel. I spent the first part braced for the crash. When it happened, boy, did it!
Rainbow Rating: Orange – Restricted from those under age 17
Song: Paul Mauriat – Love is Blue (HQ)
You might also like:
- Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections
- Anne Tyler’s Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant
- Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones
For more, check out the following sites:
- Review: “What I Loved” By Siri Hustvedt [2003] | Mad Bibliophile
- What I Loved — book review – Curled Up With A Good Book
- Reviews | Book Review – What I Loved – Mildred