Q

Day 05: A book you love

Nothomb’s The Character of Rain.

It’s not exactly a favorite – because i love my books the way i’d love my children: in different ways but with the same intensity. And i do really, really love this one. I wouldn’t say it’s a great book, not for everyone. The thing is that i’ve read quite a few of Nothomb’s works before this, and have been captured by her genius. The way she thinks, the things she thinks. From her novels, though, were just glimpses of her and what she’s like.

Character of Rain is autobiographical. It goes full out with everything that goes through her mind as a child. As a queer, precocious, arrogant child. I’ve always had a thing for precocious child-stories, because i thought of myself as one. Character of Rain chronicles the intensity of her views as a child: how she thought herself brilliant (and by pure virtue of having thought that, she was), her obsession with reading, her devastating leave from childhood and subsequent anorexia, her perception of childhood, her ideas of beauty, her transcendent take on love, how growing up was essentially a death to her. That’s how i think everyone should live their lives: by coloring it with the vivacity of one’s own thoughts and preoccupations and obsessions and intensity and darkness.

I love this novel primarily because i can relate to it… so i wouldn’t recommend it. It’s perfect to/for me though. When i read it. i felt like i understood myself a lot more. I also felt like my life was more.. real. But at the same time less serious. If that makes sense.