Reading (Some of) Shawn's 5-Star Books: Amina Cain, Indelicacy

Book #3: Indelicacy, Amina Cain

Ahhh, I really enjoyed listening to this! I listened to this as part of my challenge to read 5 of Shawn the Book Maniac's 5-star reads of 2022. Indelicacy was the book I was most excited to read because it was already on my radar as a book that I wanted to read.

What I loved about this shorter fiction was the way in which the protagonist Vitória had—from the outset of the novel—created a life for herself that was she was happy with and how she attempted to share that independence and joy with her co-worker and friend: Antionette. Both Vitória and Antoinette work as cleaners in a museum, but Vitória, a single woman, lives on her own in a tiny, sparsely furnished home. Vitória ensures that Antionette is aware that, although it is small and doesn’t house much, it is Vitória’s and is paid for with the money she earns from cleaning the museum. Vitória is an independent woman who, if she wants nice clothing, will save for it, and shares her “wealth” with Antoinette. Their friendship blossoms, and there were moments when I thought that their friendship would grow into something romantic. Alas, it didn’t.

(Image from goodreads)

Although Vitória dreams of living her life in a manner that would allow her to dedicate her life to writing, she doesn’t actively search for a wealthy husband but meets one anyway. Her marriage to him unfortunately ends her connection to her working life—including her friendship with Antoinette.

Though this story could have happened 100 years ago or 1 year ago, there is an element of timelessness and reminds me of Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own. I do feel that this story takes place in a western country or somewhere in western Europe. However, it’s not explicit when and where this story takes place, making the reader question its importance to the themes in the story and reminds me of the same writing activity that Toni Morrison employed in her short novella, Recitatif.

This is a story with many topics to discuss: class, gender, heterosexual marriage and traditional roles in them, female friendship, working women (both in the arts and blue-collar work), art, art as a means of earning money, leisure, etc…, and if any of those topics interest you, then this is a book for you!

So, what did I rate this?? Depending on the day, I would give it either 4 or 4.5 stars, and that’s only because I think that this story, while interesting, well-written, and engaging, is something that I may forget sooner than I want to, so a 4? However, the feeling I got when I read this story reminds me of Chloe Aridji’s shorter fiction, Asunder, which I also enjoyed even though I can’t remember all the plot points but rather Marie the protagonist and her arc, which is like Vitória’s, and Aridji's beautifully descriptive prose. Check out Asunder on goodreads here. And let’s not forget that I read Indelicacy and then a few days later read it again, so a 4.5? It’s tough, but I can already feel it’s a book that’s going to stay with me.

Whatever the rating is, I can tell you that in terms of reading Shawn’s 5-star reads, this has been the most successful novel for me so far!

If you’re a fan of shorter fiction; enjoy reading about relationships, women’s roles in spaces of domesticity and spaces of work, and/or women’s art; like to read books that focus on character development; and/or enjoyed Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, Toni Morrison’s Recitatif, or Chloe Aridji’s, Asunder, then Amina Cain's Indelicacy might be for you!

Link to review on goodreads here.

[Audiobook, borrowed from the library]