Reviews

Story of the Eye by Georges Bataille

breadandmushrooms's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

tyler_j's review against another edition

challenging dark

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

0.25

I almost DNF'd this in the first chapter. And again in the second. And many times there after. It's fairly simple to read language wise but dear God I hope the author found Jesus (and i'm Wiccan btw) before he died.
Because of dumb reasons I felt like I had to finish this book so on I pressed, after putting the book down again and again wondering if I could stomach it. Thank god written words don't make me literally nauseous.
I've read Dead Inside by Chandler Morrison... this was more disturbing. And this was written in 1928. 

sleepy_head's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

4.0

dhasenkampf's review against another edition

3.5

I'm honestly shocked by how much I liked this book. The plot was just so crazy that I found myself flipping the pages as fast as possible to see what absurd thing would happen next. It helps that the book is so short, because if it had been much longer I could see myself getting tired of the unbelievableness. 

seriousniki's review against another edition

4.0

Personally, the mystique surrounding the inspiration of this book keeps my mind thinking and that is worth something in itself. A book that doesn't give answers, just blunt audacity. The feeling of being swept away as the main character is, the freedom to even allow the sweeping and see where it takes a person, it's like a rabbit hole. As lacking in answers as this book goes, the biggest unanswered question is the woman who spurs it all.
From the writer's point of view, it would be beneficial to consider why he seems to place all of the shock coming from solely the female lead, as if the man following her doesn't have much autonomy. Whether you read this with a grain of salt of white male privilege of the 1920s or to get lost in the story, this will turn your mind over and over. For that, I love this book.

fromsalom's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

2.75

tomleetang's review against another edition

2.0

I reserve the right to very English and say that this was not my cup of tea. The accompanying essays in the edition I read were illuminating and fascinating, but the text itself was little more than piss and f*cking, confirming that one can have an incredibly intellectual, ingenious idea for a piece of fiction, and yet produce fiction that leaves the reader utterly bored.

wafflezthebaka's review against another edition

challenging fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

…oh!

fromfieldnotes's review against another edition

picture this: girl who thinks yesterday was the last day of her life, rain pouring heavily with winds that can shatter windows, both her basement and living room underwater, still clinging to a friend's recommended book...

how many times have i been marcelle? i have lost count

jackmillmills's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5