What I loved about this book was the layering of time, the way Kincaid uses characters and metaphors to show the complexity of "now" and "then." She demonstrates the way strands of time get tangled, broken, larger sometimes, almost invisible at others. I also liked the interior monologues of Mrs. Sweet. The long stream-of-consciousness sentences were appropriate for the context and subject and flashed me back to years of studying Virginia Woolf.Those same sentences made it a challenge to read the story. I like a good challenge in a book, but just know that this isn't simple pleasure reading. It's definitely work. Not a bad thing, just an observation.Mr. Sweet drove me crazy. His unending hatred, vitriol and "smallness" made it difficult to get through his passages. I think Kincaid was portraying a specific type of small-minded, egotistical, bigot, but he struck me as much more of a "type" -- flat, less complex -- than Mrs. Sweet, who was richer in every way. Maybe just my reading? In any case, I was glad to be rid of him. This book is certainly not for everyone, with its stream of consciousness style and recurring thoughts/phrases. But it's an incredibly poetic take on a family falling apart. I really enjoyed it, though it got a little trying toward the end of the book (thankfully, it's a short read). I would like to listen to the audiobook next to hear the author's voice come through and tell me the story, so it doesn't feel so laborious.
What do You think about See Now Then (2012)?
I don't give up on books, but I can't read this. The writing style makes my head hurt!
—paige
thought I loved the author, but couldn't get into this, so gave up.
—AleNightshade
Very creative and complex but I could'nt stick with it...
—Adri
