My Struggle: Book Two: A Man In Love (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
I loved this a little less than Book 1, perhaps Knausgaard's writing is less of a revelation/I'm getting used to it. Either that or I identify less strongly with the themes of parenthood in this book....Some people love the sections with Geir, I found them a little pedantic.Still, I did read it like it was a thriller, fast.Despite his hatred of his own sentimentality, he shares moments of great tenderness and longing, all the while insisting yet disproving that his anger and need for isolation are his primary drivers. We are all contradictions, I suppose. I picked up the third volume in hardback. I would have preferred that my editions match, but I didn't feel like waiting until June for the paperback and I knew I wanted a print version for sharing with others. It took me over a fortnight, a long time for me, to finish this book, which weighed in at 664 uninterrupted pages, but ultimately I enjoyed it more than the first in the series, and will definitely be reading more.The series has been lauded for being so nakedly autobiographical, and where the first book focussed on detail on episodes from Knausgaard's teenage years, as well as the aftermath of the death of his alcoholic father, this volume told the story of his relationship with second wife Linda, his relocation to Sweden and the birth of his three children. Again, all the mundanity of everyday life is described in detail, in non linear fashion, from his ongoing feud with his downstairs Russian neighbour, to his embarrassment at his daughter's infant music classes, to the birth of his first child, to dinner parties, to trips to the local cafe to name but a few, but in the most part these are written in such a way as to keep the reader engaged.I can't say that Knausgaard is a particularly likeable character at times, which I suppose is testament to his honesty, but there's plenty contained within these pages to encourage me to read the third in the series, which I already have on my shelves.
What do You think about My Struggle: Book Two: A Man In Love (2009)?
A compelling and extraordinary work of literature, but the bloke is a bit of a tosser.
—Navjotahaay
Didn't like as much as the first....on to number 3.
—brianna
