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Anne 's Reviews > Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman
Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman
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Stefan Zweig is a generally a master when it comes to weaving tales of psychological drama. Beautiful descriptive prose that allows the reader a journey into the minds of his characters. This is the case for the Zweig novellas I have read to date. Unfortunately, this novella was a bit of a disappointment, lacking Zweig's usual psychological complexity in his protagonist and offering a fairly predictable plot. While reading this story I felt annoyed at the constantly overwrought feelings of the protagonist. It felt like a chore instead of a pleasure to get through this short novella. Not Zweig at his finest nor in any way my usual experience of reading Zweig.
I am in the minority in my experience of this novella. Perhaps a case of right book wrong timing? Not sure. But most ratings are 4s and 5s, so please read other reviews and read this novella if it sounds interesting to you.
I am in the minority in my experience of this novella. Perhaps a case of right book wrong timing? Not sure. But most ratings are 4s and 5s, so please read other reviews and read this novella if it sounds interesting to you.
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Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman.
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Reading Progress
January 7, 2021
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Started Reading
January 7, 2021
– Shelved
January 7, 2021
– Shelved as:
austria
January 7, 2021
– Shelved as:
2021
January 8, 2021
– Shelved as:
france
January 8, 2021
– Shelved as:
novellas-and-short-stories
January 8, 2021
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-33 of 33 (33 new)
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Tamoghna
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Jan 08, 2021 06:28AM
I loved this one! Just finished it 3 days earlier :)
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Tamoghna wrote: "I loved this one! Just finished it 3 days earlier :)"I'm glad you love it. It seems that you are in the majority on this one. I've read most of Zweig's novellas (and one novel) and this was my least favorite.
Anne wrote: "I'm glad you love it. It seems that you are in the majority on this one. I've read most of Zweig's novellas (and one novel) and this was my least favorite."So it seems. I have read only this one however... so got nothing to compare with. Which one's your favorite?
Tamoghna wrote: "So it seems. I have read only this one however... so got nothing to compare with. Which one's your favorite?"Chess Story
Anne, I know you're a big fan of Zweig's writing, so I suspect that maybe it's not so much the timing as the fact you've become rather quite discerning about his work. You've read better and expected more :)
Candi wrote: "Anne, I know you're a big fan of Zweig's writing, so I suspect that maybe it's not so much the timing as the fact you've become rather quite discerning about his work. You've read better and expect..."Candi, thank you for your kind comment! My feeling is that if doesn't rate with his other novellas but since so many people seemed to love it I just wanted to be clear that my opinion was very much in the minority. I kept wondering if Zweig really wrote the novella while I was reading it.... I had a hard time getting through it because the woman was so histrionic - I hate that word because it's been used in such pejorative ways towards women, but in this case it really fits.
Anne, I like Zweig’s writing too, but like you I found this work disappointing and I also rated it 3-stars.
TBV wrote: "Anne, I like Zweig’s writing too, but like you I found this work disappointing and I also rated it 3-stars."TBV, thank you so much for telling me that! I really appreciate knowing that I wasn't the only one disappointed by this novella.
Anne, the plot sounded familiar and although I haven't rated I know I have read it. My guess is that it was a borrowed book and that's why I haven't kept a record of it. Why am I saying all this? Because I agree with you: it wasn't memorable but it was... Zweig, meaning that he couldn't have written a bad book if he wanted to, only a less...good one. :) By the way, 3 stars doesn't mean the book wasn't liked. GR's take is "Liked It". So that's what I would give it, too.
Excellent review, Anne! I get why "overwrought feelings of a protagonist" can push you away, rather than bring you in. Sorry an old familiar didn't deliver this time.
Violeta wrote: "Anne, the plot sounded familiar and although I haven't rated I know I have read it. My guess is that it was a borrowed book and that's why I haven't kept a record of it. Why am I saying all this? B..."Violeta, I might remember it solely for being the one Zweig novella which I didn't like so much. :))
Jennifer wrote: "Excellent review, Anne! I get why "overwrought feelings of a protagonist" can push you away, rather than bring you in. Sorry an old familiar didn't deliver this time."Jennifer, thank you. Yeah, this protagonist was hard to bear (for me). (Maybe she reminded me of my mother :))). I had a good run with Zweig. This was the last of his novellas published in English. I have some short stories left to read.
Julie wrote: "Which is your favorite of his, Anne?"Chess Story. Easily, his best, though I liked many others, including his one novel.
How about Beware of Pity, Anne? I should imagine that due to your profession you would find it fascinating?
Violeta wrote: "How about Beware of Pity, Anne? I should imagine that due to your profession you would find it fascinating?"Loved it! Okay, Julie can add Beware of Pity to the list. Did you read Post-Office girl?
Anne, this was my first Zweig story after reading his 'Chess' 20 years earlier and however I didn't like the protagonist, I was fascinated by Zweig's portrayal of her and Zweig's prose, which shows in my rating :-). Maybe I would think differently if I would read it now, having read more stories of him in the meantime. I recall being so annoyed by the behaviour of the protagonist in Letter from an Unknown Woman I couldn't enjoy the story much either. It is a good thing your memory of this story won't last for long so you can continue to cherish other stories of Zweig in your mind instead!
Ilse wrote: "Anne, this was my first Zweig story after reading his 'Chess' 20 years earlier and however I didn't like the protagonist, I was fascinated by Zweig's portrayal of her and Zweig's prose, which shows..."Ilse, it's interesting because Letter from an Unknown Woman came to mind while reading this story. I understand your annoyance with the protagonist in that one but I thought the story was overall better. In both, Zweig creates the stereotype of an "hysterical woman." I don't like that phrase but Freud used it and Zweig was heavily influenced by Freud. I have the feeling that the women in both stories were examples of this "hysterical" type, who is completely at the mercy of their emotions (without the physical symptoms, thank goodness). It's taken a long time for this pejorative term and view of women to be less commonly used, but it's still all too commonly used even today.
Whatever the reason I always appreciate thoughtful a minority opinion :)
JanB wrote: "Whatever the reason I always appreciate thoughtful a minority opinion :)"Jan, thank you. I actually feel the same way.
Anne wrote: "Julie wrote: "Which is your favorite of his, Anne?"Chess Story. Easily, his best, though I liked many others, including his one novel."
I just added this, Anne, thanks. Why not start with your hands-down favorite?
Anne wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Excellent review, Anne! I get why "overwrought feelings of a protagonist" can push you away, rather than bring you in. Sorry an old familiar didn't deliver this time."Jennifer, t..."
Haha, ah... Hope the stories end on an up-note. :)
Jennifer wrote: "I just added this, Anne, thanks. Why not start with your hands-down favorite? "Good idea!
Jennifer wrote: "Haha, ah... Hope the stories end on an up-note. :) "Which stories? Plus, you wanted want me to give away the ending, right?
Anne wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Haha, ah... Hope the stories end on an up-note. :) "Which stories? Plus, you wanted want me to give away the ending, right?"
You said above, "This was the last of his novellas published in English. I have some short stories left to read." So, I'm sending well wishes for the stories you have left. I hope they don't disappoint. :)
Anne wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Haha, ah... Hope the stories end on an up-note. :) "Which stories? Plus, you wanted want me to give away the ending, right?"
Give away the ending? Never! :D
Gotcha. Yeah, me too! :))
Jennifer wrote: Give away the ending? Never! :D"
I thought you were hoping that Chess Story would "end on an up-note," meaning to me, a happy ending. Now I know what you meant.
Anne wrote: "Jennifer wrote: Give away the ending? Never! :D"
I thought you were hoping that Chess Story would "end on an up-note," meaning to me, a happy ending. Now I know what you meant."
Ah, no. I like dark endings, when they feel right. Actually, feeling right, and also resolved in some way, is more important to me than up or down. How about for you? I really meant for the stories to feel rich and fulfilling for you, more than happy.
Jennifer, I get that now. I agree with you. The ending just has to feel right for the story, whether it's positive or negative or left open, whatever....
Terrific review, Anne. I have never read this author. Any book you would recommend for me?
Antoinette wrote: "Terrific review, Anne. I have never read this author. Any book you would recommend for me?"Thank you, Antoinette. I'd suggest starting with either Beware of Pity or Chess Story. Both are excellent but quite different.
You are v generous. I found this item dripping w soap bubbles, I couldnt take any of the sauced emotions seriously.
