THE BLUE FLOWER by Penelope Fitzgerald >> I'm not sure even Novalis himself (the 18th-century poet/philosopher protagonist of this novel) could fully appreciate THIS LEVEL OF LITERARY GENIUS.
The Foxed PageShow Notes
The Blue Flower is considered Fitzgerald's masterpiece, and for good reason. It's challenging--an entirely different approach to historical fiction, with subtle, nuanced, gorgeous prose. She makes late-1700s Saxony feel immediate and accessible and you FEEL so much for these people. Listen in to fully appreciate how she produces a book that readers go back to again and again, gaining so much more every single time.
More from The Foxed Page
Did you love this GIGANTIC bestseller from nine years ago? Let me remind you why! It was SO fun to dig in to how Ng makes fiction do what fiction does best: her narrative stance, structure, plotting and characterization are so strong.
NO READING REQUIRED! I READ THE WHOLE (super short) SHORT STORY TO YOU!
To be completely honest, I picked this up because I thought I saw it on the Booker long list. I was mistaken (!!) but WOW am I glad I read it. How is this his first novel???
This book is SO smart. Listen in to appreciate its richness, depth and complexity. ALSO, an hour from now you'll know the crucial difference between extraction skimming and reading as a means of real understanding.