RexLegendi reviewed An Inventory of Losses by Jackie Smith
Review of 'An Inventory of Losses' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
At times, I wonder whether I’ve fully grasped a novel. An Inventory of Losses by German author Judith Schalansky (1980) offers a collection of short stories – or rather, ‘reflections’ – that delve into ‘irretrievably lost’ cultural or natural heritage, such as the Pacific island of Tuanaki, the Caspian tiger, Sappho’s love poems and a lost painting of the harbour of Greifswald by Caspar David Friedrich. Not all contributions are directly tied to the lost items themselves. While some include historical references, others are more aptly described as anecdotal musings. They reminded me of the work of Han Kang ([b:The White Book|36294380|The White Book|Han Kang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506238174l/36294380.SY75.jpg|50806147]), although better developed.
A highlight is the preface, where Schalansky reflects on loss and themes like death, legacy, memory, and transience. In the preamble before this, she lists the lost and rediscovered heritage during the time of her writing, which I …
At times, I wonder whether I’ve fully grasped a novel. An Inventory of Losses by German author Judith Schalansky (1980) offers a collection of short stories – or rather, ‘reflections’ – that delve into ‘irretrievably lost’ cultural or natural heritage, such as the Pacific island of Tuanaki, the Caspian tiger, Sappho’s love poems and a lost painting of the harbour of Greifswald by Caspar David Friedrich. Not all contributions are directly tied to the lost items themselves. While some include historical references, others are more aptly described as anecdotal musings. They reminded me of the work of Han Kang ([b:The White Book|36294380|The White Book|Han Kang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506238174l/36294380.SY75.jpg|50806147]), although better developed.
A highlight is the preface, where Schalansky reflects on loss and themes like death, legacy, memory, and transience. In the preamble before this, she lists the lost and rediscovered heritage during the time of her writing, which I found intriguing. Ultimately, though, I couldn’t fully appreciate the novel. It is well-written but often feels aimless, and having to restart every 15 pages didn’t quite work for me either.
Next on my list is [b:Grove|49449761|Grove|Esther Kinsky|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576713350l/49449761.SY75.jpg|60836018] by Esther Kinsky.