Book Review: Elizabeth Costello by J. M. Coetzee

This was a very interesting book. It's a book that gives you satisfaction just at the very end. There is this anti-hero, the main character, Elizabeth Costello, who is this elderly and opinionated writer. Her entire life she created and wrote of opinions about others, and yet at the end of the day, she is the one getting judged, and she isn't getting away with it. Her character is very hard to like, after all, as someone who appreciates diversity, a character that is strongly opinionated and denies the validity of other opinions and viewpoints doesn't sit well with me. So it was such a relief to see that in the end, there are other opinions too and the main character is forced to realise that it is not only hers that count.

Oh, there's also the arrogance! The main character is a writer, and therefore claims that she is just a messenger. But this claim is so haughty, as this implies that she is above all others, that she lacks belief, and that she - in her special role as a writer - simply comveys the beliefs of others. Well, sorry lady, but you're just like the rest of us. Take a seat.

I have to say that given my strong reactions to the main character, I acknowledge Coetzee's writing prowess. I haven't read any of his other works, but this tome shows how he can strongly engage with readers like me. I enjoyed reading this book very much, and even though it featured a main character that I didn't sympathise with, the definitely like the moral of the story, so to speak. I personally don't like people who preach - after all, I have spent the majority of my childhood around people who do, and I made great efforts to distance myself from this behaviour. So when the main character has strong opinions about everything, ranging from vegetarianism to evil, and fails to acknowledge that her viewpoint is not the only valid viewpoint there is, then I definitely want to see this character have a taste of her own medicine. And in the end, this is what happens.

I definitely enjoyed this book, and I strongly recommend it to readers who want a very satisfying twist at the end. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

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