A "liberation" for Messud; urgent and psychologically charged. Mixed/Positive
: Her life changes when she meets the Shahids—a glamorous, sophisticated family from Paris. She becomes obsessed with all three: the young Reza, his academic father Skandar, and especially the mother, Sirena, a successful installation artist.
: While many find the psychological buildup riveting, some critics, including those at NPR, felt the final revelation did not quite match the intensity of the preceding narrative. Summary of Reviews Key Takeaway The New York Times
: The book is noted for its powerful, albeit sometimes polarizing, first-person narration. Nora's voice is described as addictive and intense, though some readers may find her hard to relate to due to her extreme anger.
: Nora describes herself as a "good girl"—the dependable, invisible woman who lives upstairs. However, she harbors a "fierce, furious rage" over the life she never led and her stalled career as an artist.
Brilliant portrait of two women artists, though the ending is a bit light. "Breathtaking... fresh, fierce, furious rage". Financial Times "Addictive, memorable, intense". The Woman Upstairs (2013), by Claire Messud - ANZ LitLovers
La Vecina De Arriba - Claire Messud.epub -
A "liberation" for Messud; urgent and psychologically charged. Mixed/Positive
: Her life changes when she meets the Shahids—a glamorous, sophisticated family from Paris. She becomes obsessed with all three: the young Reza, his academic father Skandar, and especially the mother, Sirena, a successful installation artist. La vecina de arriba - Claire Messud.epub
: While many find the psychological buildup riveting, some critics, including those at NPR, felt the final revelation did not quite match the intensity of the preceding narrative. Summary of Reviews Key Takeaway The New York Times : While many find the psychological buildup riveting,
: The book is noted for its powerful, albeit sometimes polarizing, first-person narration. Nora's voice is described as addictive and intense, though some readers may find her hard to relate to due to her extreme anger. : Nora describes herself as a "good girl"—the
: Nora describes herself as a "good girl"—the dependable, invisible woman who lives upstairs. However, she harbors a "fierce, furious rage" over the life she never led and her stalled career as an artist.
Brilliant portrait of two women artists, though the ending is a bit light. "Breathtaking... fresh, fierce, furious rage". Financial Times "Addictive, memorable, intense". The Woman Upstairs (2013), by Claire Messud - ANZ LitLovers
