We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
Base Camp (3)
The language in "The Odour of Chrysanthemums" is not very twisty or tangly, so we'd consider it pretty accessible on that front. However, the tale has the somewhat disorienting habit of introducing characters without immediately (or, you know, ever) giving us their names. Also, it's heavy on symbolism and making you read between the lines of what's happening and being said to get at everything that's happening underneath the skin of this ordinary (but not so ordinary) evening. For that reason, we'd say the climb isn't overly arduous . . . but it's not a total breeze, either. The payoff is that you get to tap into a rich and complex set of emotions and relationship dynamics that kind of explode as a result of Walter's death . . . It's heavy stuff, but the glimpse into Elizabeth's thoughts as she works through her grief is something that you won't want to miss.