Rick: Thanks for the great review! I, too, loved the book and will be leading a discussion of "Matrix" in a couple of weeks with a group of retired expats here in Mexico. Groff's prose in "Matrix" is exquisite and intriguing. So refreshing to see the nuns in the abbey as regular women, each with their distinct personalities and traits. I saw Marie as drawing on a model of how to establish and use power from Eleanor. Their relationship was a key thread in the book. Keep up the good work!!
Rick, dood, you are a Booktube gem! I love your reviews and I've read so many great books cus of you. I was in a long reading slump and catching up on your old reviews got me all excited about reading again, and I've been devouring books and loving it! So, thank you! You're awesome, keep doing your thing!
@@RickMacDonnell Been back at it like a mad man! Most recently, read Remains of the Day by Ishiguro. Over the weekend I enjoyed Offill's, Weather. So clever and laugh out loud funny! Now I'm finishing up Death comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. I visited her childhood home this summer in Nebraska so I'm psyched to read her stuff now. Putting Matrix on my list for sure!
Sounds great Rick! Your reading is on 🔥 this Fall. I just got Astra on your reco and now I want Matrix…Have you read Sylvia Townsend Warner’s The Corner That Held Them? Might be an interesting read n comparison to Matrix.
It's taken your review to get to the r gist of it..after SCOTT'S decision....wow... #prolife...but ai understand what she may be getting at. #CatherineofAquataine👸 cool....#goodtobequeen
Love, love Lauren Groff, she's a bad ass and many of her short stories rule the earth. I have to say Matrix had all the many things you have described going on, but for me I kind of missed a sense of coherent story (instead many beautifully written scenes), and the characters were those I could be fascinated by but somehow not often connect with their emotions and ultimately for me it was not as alive as some of Groff's other works. Its a mild complaint because the book is so unique and well worth reading for all the reasons in video, but say, compared to Wolf Hall, where everyone seemed to live and breath and I could swing between deep emotion for Anne to Cromwell like a play thing in Mantel's hands, I really found Matrix confounding me from getting close to the people in most cases. Maybe because many characters felt more symbolic than flesh and blood? It's an ambitious, almost fairy tale like realization of this mysterious figure's possible life, there's no lack of imagination, but then it also asks us to be grounded in very real, stark realities of life in the middle ages. I guess the mix didn't quite spill over into something bigger than its parts for me. I'd be so interested to talk to hear other's thoughts on this, I'm sure there's a range of takes on why she struck the notes she did and her intention for us as reader's.
A book I have seen everywhere but have not been interested in at all until now because I had never heard what it's about and the cover gave me the wrong impression. :D
From the minute you started describing the plot, all I could picture in my head was a movie from a few years ago called The Little Hours. VERY different style and content, no doubt.
Oh man, it has been high on my list but now I'm just so excited!! :DDD I've just been wondering if it is worth to read Marie de France's Lais first or not... hmm :)
I’m not an expert on the subject, but Theresa of Avila and Hildegard of Bingen were very strong women abbesses …. Survived the inquisition, etc. Were women of power….. sounds like they may have been inspiration for the novel? ….
Whoa! I read this book cus of your video, and Holy Toledo! I. Loved. It!! Thx for the video/rec! I don't think I would have read it if it weren't for your strong rec. Booktube is the best!
