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versmonesprit's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
These fictionalised memoirs were at first OK, but the second I realised they all followed the same format and had the exact same tone, the repetitiveness became deathly boring — and this happened before half-way through the book.
I would have loved to elaborate, but this was one of those books that made me genuinely furious: I couldn’t stand Babitz’s disgusting racism and misogyny. If she wasn’t a jealous, bitter, nasty hypocrite whose entire personality was being from and living in Los Angeles, and who exuded nothing but “pick me” energy, she sure did one hell of a job Wattpad-writing a villain.
If you’re still fine with reading a woman berate other women for their appearances, their makeup and perfume, or pit women against each other — overall be evil to women… the casual racism is truly sickening.
And if you still think you’d be fine with these issues because Babitz is dead so she can no longer profit off being evil (which I believe is OK, I also read a lot of dead white men who would tie for record-breaking gold if racism and misogyny were Olympic sports) don’t say I didn’t warn you: these stories are choppy, pointless, and artless. Literally, not a single saving grace.
Oh and the author of Sweetbitter wrote an equally racially insensitive introduction to this book, so at least the one thing Black Swans added to my life was providing me with the best reason to take Sweetbitter off my TBR list.
I would have loved to elaborate, but this was one of those books that made me genuinely furious: I couldn’t stand Babitz’s disgusting racism and misogyny. If she wasn’t a jealous, bitter, nasty hypocrite whose entire personality was being from and living in Los Angeles, and who exuded nothing but “pick me” energy, she sure did one hell of a job Wattpad-writing a villain.
If you’re still fine with reading a woman berate other women for their appearances, their makeup and perfume, or pit women against each other — overall be evil to women… the casual racism is truly sickening.
And if you still think you’d be fine with these issues because Babitz is dead so she can no longer profit off being evil (which I believe is OK, I also read a lot of dead white men who would tie for record-breaking gold if racism and misogyny were Olympic sports) don’t say I didn’t warn you: these stories are choppy, pointless, and artless. Literally, not a single saving grace.
Oh and the author of Sweetbitter wrote an equally racially insensitive introduction to this book, so at least the one thing Black Swans added to my life was providing me with the best reason to take Sweetbitter off my TBR list.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Racism
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Eating disorder, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Self harm, and Death
agnesbebon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
I think Stephanie Danler’s introduction to this book is perfect. She perfectly captured Eve and this novel. I particularly found myself going back to where she wrote, “There are half a dozen moments in Black Swans that feel disturbing in hindsight (Eve’s lack of political consciousness is hard to read in 2018...).”
Eve Babitz has a wonderful writing style. As Danler writes, “her stories often felt like unfinished sketches. Observations never coalescing into an investigation, with each piece skirting any moral footing from first sentence to last.” Her writing is fun, beautiful, and dances around The Point in a way I found delightful.
I choose to look at this book as self-aware satire, which is why I’m rating it at 4 stars. I recommend reading the book through this lens, and I often found myself wondering if she wrote it that way - it’s biographical fiction, after all. I loved how the stories were all connected, yet inconsistent (I love an inconsistent narrator), and floated back and forth through time.
Eve Babitz has a wonderful writing style. As Danler writes, “her stories often felt like unfinished sketches. Observations never coalescing into an investigation, with each piece skirting any moral footing from first sentence to last.” Her writing is fun, beautiful, and dances around The Point in a way I found delightful.
I choose to look at this book as self-aware satire, which is why I’m rating it at 4 stars. I recommend reading the book through this lens, and I often found myself wondering if she wrote it that way - it’s biographical fiction, after all. I loved how the stories were all connected, yet inconsistent (I love an inconsistent narrator), and floated back and forth through time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Alcohol
Moderate: Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Fatphobia, Suicide, Drug abuse, and Death
Minor: Cancer
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