Book Review: My Men by Victoria Lielland (translated by Damion Searls)
My Rating: 3.5⭐️
In 1876, Norway, seventeen-year-old Brynhild Storset is embroiled in an affair with a man who leaves her after she gets pregnant and ends the affair in a vicious act of violence. She eventually emigrates to America joining her sister, Nellie, in the Midwest takes up work as a maid and seamstress. She changes her name to Bella (later Belle) and strives to begin a new life. However, her past haunts her and she is consumed by guilt and shame and an inherent mistrust of those around her. Belle gets a fresh start, marrying a man who loves her, and taking in abandoned children, thereby fulfilling her desire for love and family. However, Belle’s life is not one of happily ever afters but one of disillusionment and anger towards a world that fails to evoke any feeling of belongingness within her and as the narrative progresses we follow Belle as she embarks on a journey of violence, greed and crime.
I found the premise of My Men by Victoria Lielland (translated by Damion Searls) very interesting. A fictional account of the life of Belle Gunness, one of America’s most notorious serial killers, this is a short novel and a relatively quick read. The writing is dense and immersive with a melancholic, slightly sinister tone to it. Belle’s inner thoughts are written in an almost stream-of-consciousness style - disjointed, often collapsing upon each other, clearly indicating how she gradually becomes unhinged. It is difficult to fathom Belle’s motivations - a fact that keeps you hooked to the narrative. While I did enjoy the powerful writing, I had hoped that Belle’s life would have been covered in more detail. The narrative focuses more on Belle’s psyche rather than the actual incidents/crimes per se, some of which are revealed, some alluded to, and some glossed over toward the end of the novel. Do note that some descriptions are of a graphic (and gross) nature.
Many thanks to Astra Publishing House and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I found the premise of My Men by Victoria Lielland (translated by Damion Searls) very interesting. A fictional account of the life of Belle Gunness, one of America’s most notorious serial killers, this is a short novel and a relatively quick read. The writing is dense and immersive with a melancholic, slightly sinister tone to it. Belle’s inner thoughts are written in an almost stream-of-consciousness style - disjointed, often collapsing upon each other, clearly indicating how she gradually becomes unhinged. It is difficult to fathom Belle’s motivations - a fact that keeps you hooked to the narrative. While I did enjoy the powerful writing, I had hoped that Belle’s life would have been covered in more detail. The narrative focuses more on Belle’s psyche rather than the actual incidents/crimes per se, some of which are revealed, some alluded to, and some glossed over toward the end of the novel. Do note that some descriptions are of a graphic (and gross) nature.
Many thanks to Astra Publishing House and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Comments
Post a Comment