Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for sending me an e-ARC of this book to review! I really wish I had more positive feedback.
I was so excited to get my hands on this book because I absolutely loved No One is Talking About This, but I’m afraid this follow-up was rather a disappointment. Lockwood attempts to replicate the wacky stream-of-consciousness narration style that I enjoyed in her previous book, but the issue is that it isn’t fully rooted to any major event (like the birth of the baby in NOITAT), rather jumping from topic to topic, which made the narrative feel disjointed and without purpose. Sorry, but I’m really not interested in reading ten pages about the author’s experience at a metal casting class.
Something I did feel Lockwood did very well was writing the experience of brain fog as a result of long Covid. The feeling of being detached from one’s body and frequently confused does match the often confusing narration style, but the fact that it carries on for so long does make for a very frustrating read. I also enjoyed the chapters about the husband’s health scare and the author’s subsequent anxieties, and had that been the rooting plot point for the rest of the book, I think I would have enjoyed it a little more.
Overall, this was a disappointing read that I just didn’t get. If you’re a massive fan of no plot just vibes books, though, give it a try.
I was so excited to get my hands on this book because I absolutely loved No One is Talking About This, but I’m afraid this follow-up was rather a disappointment. Lockwood attempts to replicate the wacky stream-of-consciousness narration style that I enjoyed in her previous book, but the issue is that it isn’t fully rooted to any major event (like the birth of the baby in NOITAT), rather jumping from topic to topic, which made the narrative feel disjointed and without purpose. Sorry, but I’m really not interested in reading ten pages about the author’s experience at a metal casting class.
Something I did feel Lockwood did very well was writing the experience of brain fog as a result of long Covid. The feeling of being detached from one’s body and frequently confused does match the often confusing narration style, but the fact that it carries on for so long does make for a very frustrating read. I also enjoyed the chapters about the husband’s health scare and the author’s subsequent anxieties, and had that been the rooting plot point for the rest of the book, I think I would have enjoyed it a little more.
Overall, this was a disappointing read that I just didn’t get. If you’re a massive fan of no plot just vibes books, though, give it a try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Child death
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Patricia Lockwood is one of my absolute favorite authors, so it pains me to say I didn't love this. There are parts I loved, I laughed a decent amount, and I will continue to read whatever she writes. However, so much of this book made zero sense. I also feel it's impossible to recommend this book to anyone who has not read her previous works. I have read Priestdaddy and No One is Talking About This (twice!), and even with that prior knowledge, I was lost a lot of the time. I believe this was purposeful, and it's even acknowledged in the book that it is a bit of a fever dream. It's stream-of-consciousness, non-linear, and packed to the gills with abstract metaphor. That being said, I am still glad I read it, and the parts I loved were worth my brain hurting so very much.
Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC, this title will be available on September 23.
Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC, this title will be available on September 23.
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Tricia Lockwood has the soul of a poet and the heart of a shitposter which means she writes about very normal things in a really beautiful way while also making you realize how strange the world really is. Her books rip out my heart and also make me cackle out loud
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Rape
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes