u/BabyDistinct6871

I had a keen aversion to short stories - I did not feel like I stayed with the characters long enough to bond with them and feel for them. I need time to get to know the characters to have a true opinion about them. Maybe the characters mattered more to me than the plot? But something changed a few days ago.

I had heard of Clarice Lispector from a couple of people who had similar taste to me, but she didn't seem to be an author to be readily found in stores. Finally, I found her Complete Stories and started reading the first story in the bookstore - and was totally sold.

I do not know what it was, but from the very first story, the whole book seemed worth it. It completely changed the way I have been reading. I used to go through books fairly quickly, and the books I read did not require me to ponder, or re-read parts of it to thoroughly understand it. And I believed that was the best way as well. Now, I have been slowly going through the book one story at a time, going over parts of the story multiple times, as if I wanted to drink it in.

Her writing brought elation back into my life - it has been a while since I had felt this giddy feeling every time I pick up a book. Now, I am starting to make a list of the next short story collection I want to read.

What do you think makes it that magical? As far as I have read, it isn't surrealism. Maybe it is the way she works with words? Can anyone describe it? What other authors do you think can have a similar effect while reading their work? (Maybe Borges? I am not sure - help me out)

I had heard of Clarice Lispector from a couple of BookTubers who had similar taste to me, but she didn't seem to be an author to be readily found in stores. Finally, I found her Complete Stories and started reading the first story in the bookstore - and was totally sold.

I do not know what it was, but from the very first story, the whole book seemed worth it. And as I have been slowly going through the book one story at a time, the opinion keeps solidifying in my mind.

Have you guys had an experience like this? Where just a small story, interview etc. made you want to read a book, and then you found that picking it up was the best decision you made? Has anyone else had this experience with Clarice Lispector?