This book may well divide opinion! When I taught it last year, it was many students' favourite. But I can understand why people may think otherwise. (Did you find my lecture on it to be helpful?)
It is definitely "meta," or as I would say self-reflexive. I'd say it's about the problem of writing such a book. And yes, the narrator is unlikeable. But he is not perhaps so different from us. He's trying... but failing... to come to grips with a person such as Macabéa. But in the end she escapes him.
BTW I also very much recommend that you watch the interview with Lispector herself (it's available on the website, but easily found on Youtube in any case). Perhaps that might also make you rethink your negative impression?
This book may well divide opinion! When I taught it last year, it was many students' favourite. But I can understand why people may think otherwise. (Did you find my lecture on it to be helpful?)
It is definitely "meta," or as I would say self-reflexive. I'd say it's about the problem of writing such a book. And yes, the narrator is unlikeable. But he is not perhaps so different from us. He's trying... but failing... to come to grips with a person such as Macabéa. But in the end she escapes him.
BTW I also very much recommend that you watch the interview with Lispector herself (it's available on the website, but easily found on Youtube in any case). Perhaps that might also make you rethink your negative impression?