top of page

A Bend in the River

  • Writer: Kathy Miller
    Kathy Miller
  • Nov 24, 2021
  • 1 min read

V. S. Naipaul, 1979 Read: 11/24/21



ree


Because of this novel, I have added a "violence against women" counter on The List page. Out of the books I've read so far, 8 include violence against women (and this doesn't count Watership Down, because that was violence against a rabbit).


I enjoyed reading most of this novel. I say most because I really didn't enjoy him beating his girlfriend for no apparent reason, nor did I enjoy her then immediately forgiving him and continuing to fuck him. Like. Come on. This added nothing to the story, at all. In fact, the entire affair with Yvette is pointless.


Besides that section, I found it interesting and insightful. But I was really put off by him beating her, let alone fucking another man's wife. While being engaged himself. I could understand if it added to the story, but it didn't at all.


Rereadability: probably not

Time to read: 4 days

Classic: I mean. I guess? But again...the beating of his girlfriend really was just gratuitous and meaningless in the overall arching story. So. *shrug*

Recent Posts

See All
The Golden Bowl

Henry James, 1904 Did Not Finish I can't get into it. This is one where the whole exposition is given in the second chapter and there's...

 
 
 
The Maltese Falcon

Dashiell Hammett, 1929 Date read: 9/7/25 I enjoyed this much more than I imagined I would! Dark, brooding, hard-nosed detective novels...

 
 
 
The Flowers of Evil

Charles Baudelaire, 1857 DID NOT FINISH I don't know why this was included on lists of greatest novels because it isn't a novel. It's a...

 
 
 

Comments


Subscribe Form

Thanks for submitting!

©2021 by Lengthy Literary List. Proudly created with Wix.com

  • Instagram
bottom of page