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Reading Bombal’s novel The Shrouded Woman, as a woman, I felt deeply appreciated that a book like this existed in such a time. I’m not quite sure how prevalent female authors were at the time or how popular their works were, but I’m glad that Bombal had the opportunity to share her perception of a […]

I really enjoyed this read. After having read the two previous novels, this style of writing was certainly refreshing for me. I enjoyed how well it flowed from chapter to chapter and how they were relatively short. Similar to the last two texts, I found the writing to be very descriptive, but that is partially what I loved most for this novel. Each new setting and situation was described so beautifully that it was easy for me to let my mind travel into these spaces . As a lover of romantic movies and books, this reading definitely hit the spot. I particularly enjoy feeling as though I am reading someone’s personal journal entry, which this definitely felt like. I love to journal, but mine are certainly not this graceful!

I really loved  how accurately a young girl’s first love was displayed. The rollercoaster of emotions between a love so consuming, and a hate that is so intense. Not only that, but the power Ricardo in particular held over her, which I think is often typical in a young relationship between a girl and boy. Saying things like “I am not the one to blame” and making her feel inadequate of his love and responsible for the way things to workout. She claims to have moved on, found peace, knowing deep down if he were to return, she would be the first one there to greet him. Although I love how accurately this was portrayed, I do however hate that this is the way for so many young women.  

Following this, additionally the difficulties that are often found when entering new relationships. For the author, this was surely her experience. She had a hard time getting to a point in these relationships to genuinely enjoy them and struggled with being authentic. Sometimes this feeling of a first love can’t be shaken and almost follows you around as you age. This is especially frustrating when you are aware that it wasn’t right nor healthy. 

The fact that the author has already passed provided an interesting view-point. Of course, having died, there is a certain wisdom that would otherwise not be present if alive. She says “Must we die in order to know these things ?” (176), which I found interesting. I think this represents that the author was not so focused on things that didn’t matter in the larger picture so much as what stood out to her while still proving these events in great detail.

My question is how much this perspective of writing from death changed the message and content of the story. Do you think that her experiences would have been explained differently at all if she were to have been alive while writing this novel?

First off, I loved this novel. The shrouded Woman by Bombal details the narration of a dead woman who is able to recount her life as a dead body, and present to us moments in her life relating to love, self-worth, and  frustrations with underlying spiritual messages. I thought Bombal captured the essence of ‘frustrated […]