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lindsayerin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Classism, and Murder
breanneporter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This novel has so much fantastic feminine rage and excellent critiques of patriarchy and white feminism. The majority of it is an incredibly frustrating and infuriating read, with moments of righteous revenge to counterbalance the overwhelming injustice and inequity that’s happening, but the title tells you what you need to know to keep reading. Anita and Raquel are both excellent characters, set up to have so many similarities while still having such distinct voices and personas that made them both feel so real. While I understand why we get Jack’s point of view, those were undoubtedly my least favorite chapters, as it’s hard to stomach being inside the self-righteous delusion of an evil and insecure man, but it certainly did only fuel my ire and my desire for justice. I do think that the characters of Claire and Margot were almost cartoonishly awful, (and I mean come on, that night was so bad that I can’t believe be Mavette could ever come back from it, her lack of action and support for Raquel) but I’m glad that the point was made (though these two didn’t get the justice they deserved in my mind!). I love how Xochitl Gonzalez writes about class and privilege and womanhood and I will always read whatever she writes!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Violence, Sexism, Racism, Classism, and Misogyny
katielong84's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Murder, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Classism
martinjen98's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, and Racism
martinj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexism, Classism, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Racism
Minor: Sexual violence
reflectiverambling_nalana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
So I'd challenge these readers to consider that they author chose to set this in a specific time frame. While there has been an increasing push to acknowledge forgotten voices we only got to this place where our eyes and hearts are open to a broader concept of how we were taught and now view history by people who existed at that turning point. That's not to say that there weren't many before our current day who didn't let stories be forgotten. But I'd venture to guess that it was in a time like the late 90s that the second perspective travels in that existed at this really significant crossing between timing and attention that started the ball rolling to where we find ourselves now.
ONe aspect about this novel that I appreciate is the parallel not only how someone's work is judged, but how their personality is. We are used to seeing characters like Anita cast as angry, vengeful, spiteful ,and ugly. In this book Anita isn't restrained, that is true, but it's also painfully clear that both people in that relationship are toxic in their own ways. The difference is that female anger is far less 'acceptable'. Anita, nor the author, ever apologizes for this portrayal because why should it be demeaning for Anita but not her husband? It's wrapped up in the same bow as his career- what happens when he comes under suspicion as opposed to what would happen to her. I loved her anger because it wasn't just that--it was passion. It was her being completely honest with herself and the world.
Without wanting to give away the twist to this novel, I absolutely adored how it gave a fantastical element constraints. I loved the concept of memory as fuel, power. It adds an extra layer to the revelations that can be contained simply by acknowledging and lifting up a voice.
I also enjoyed how it brushed on not asking for erasure of things that have long been deemed as classics or masters, but just challenged the reasons why and supported the expansion of those notions.
The notion of family, found and real, was also an incredible point.
Finally, I generally consider it a good thing if reading a book from the perspective of someone who shares a different life experience from me if I'm uncomfortable. I welcome it making me consider my own ideas and ways of thinking. So I struggle with how to express this particular reaction I had. It's not because it rang my guilt bell. It was more of a second hand pain for some of the couples I have known.
I very recently finished another book that dealt with an interracial and class relationship that was disastrous. Now I'm not saying for a moment that those experiences are even outliers. The emphasis on more privileged trying to 'better' others is probably more common than ever, honestly. But it left me wondering if there was any room to portray these things as anything but. Or, on the other side of seeing these things portrayed, for them to be completely idealized with no understandings and full acceptance. It was a little disheartening to see relationships that were portrayed as possibly having serious flaws being recognized and altered to spiraling. Though, to be fair, if the misconceptions stemmed from class or race or only when these two converged is not necessarily apparent.
Given the particular narrative I understood why things went in this direction for this story and the sake of parallels. It just led me to the realization of how much appreciation I have for stories where differences are seen, mistakes are made, and addressed in ways that paint characters in less drastically villainous ways. Not necessarily for everything to be happily ever after or magically okay. People can fail to make a relationship work, fail to realize in all the ways they still need to work on themselves, without being all out destructive to the other. It wouldn't have worked in this story, but I hope we are also creating spaces for that dynamic to be shown if only in homage to people who have navigated these spaces of cross cultural relationships when it was even less prominent or portrayed as just a mater of fetishism.
a really memorable, passionate, read. Though, as an art lover, I suppose I might have also gone in with bias.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Eating disorder
museumnerd15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Racism, and Domestic abuse
TW: Batslorettalucia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexism and Racism
lngoldstein's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Murder, Violence, and Racism
lsartist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Murder, and Toxic relationship