crabbygirl reviewed The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan
Review of 'The Opposite of Loneliness' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
heartbreaking to read - because THIS was a voice that was going to move mountains.
the author, only 22, died 5 days after her graduation from Yale. and her opening piece, Cold Pastoral, is a masterful tale of modern life for the twenty-somethings of today. there's feeling nostalgia for that age, and there's living at that age: marina keegan writes it as fresh and yet absolutely tangible to this 40+ year old.
some of her essays were meh (but is that a fault of her writing or my lack of interest in that particular subject?) but some were enlightening enough to make me want to change my opinion about academics, job prospects, and designs for the future.
it is in the essays that her family, her mom especially, must find some comfort in their loss. marina was cognisant of her parents' lives in a way that most 22 year olds …
heartbreaking to read - because THIS was a voice that was going to move mountains.
the author, only 22, died 5 days after her graduation from Yale. and her opening piece, Cold Pastoral, is a masterful tale of modern life for the twenty-somethings of today. there's feeling nostalgia for that age, and there's living at that age: marina keegan writes it as fresh and yet absolutely tangible to this 40+ year old.
some of her essays were meh (but is that a fault of her writing or my lack of interest in that particular subject?) but some were enlightening enough to make me want to change my opinion about academics, job prospects, and designs for the future.
it is in the essays that her family, her mom especially, must find some comfort in their loss. marina was cognisant of her parents' lives in a way that most 22 year olds wouldn't yet be: "i'd laugh at her love and scoff at her efforts. it didn't matter to me. i was still too young to try on her shoes." while it's true her life was cut short, in many ways - with her empathy, reflection and experience - she was an old soul.