Book Review: Disgrace

August 25, 2007

Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee was a surprising book for me. I read about it first in the New York Times Book Review section and probably never would have bought it myself, but added it to my wishlist so I could get it from the library some day. Adam bought it for me shortly thereafter when he ordered some books from Amazon.

I’m not sure exactly what to say about the book except that I liked it and (again) I was surprised I liked it. The story revolves around a divorced professor in his 50s who lives in South Africa post-Apartheid. His character borders on being incredibly unlikeable, which always kills a book for me, but manages to stay in your good graces despite his seeming apathy and continual fall into disgrace.

It isn’t a book that resolves itself or leaves you feeling that things are as they should be, but it is a book you will finish - even if you put it down once or twice along the way.

Posted in reviews by Sarah