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owenwilsonbaby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Solid satire with some really funny moments and interesting characterisation. I really like how Irina's perception of Flo is slowly undercut by external glimpses of Flo. The final conversation about what Flo thinks Irina can give her is such a good example of this, as Irina interprets Flo's doomed desire for her as pathetic, when there is actually something deeply sad about Irina being functionally unable to recognise love and desire as a genuine investment in someone's wellbeing, rather than a means to an end. Irina's cynicism slowly being undercut by her delusions and the optimism of those around her was also really interesting - her voice can be quite compelling so the moments where you realise how flawed her own narrative is about herself and her world was enjoyable.
I did wander what this book was moving towards. The last act felt comparatively slower than previous sections. Anticipating the end of the book, I began to realise it was probably going to lack substantial payoff, which is odd when the first two acts were quickly-paced. Given the prominence of Irina's 'friendship' with Flo, I did feel like that should have featured more in the final conflict.
I have really mixed feelings on this book. The deliberate gratuity was interesting and having also read A Certain Hunger this year I understand the market for and am interested in literary fiction that centres female psychopathy. The commentary on desire and forcing yourself into different boxes was insightful (e.g. Flo only liking who she was supposed to like). I think my main problem is it feels like something is missing, but I just don't know what. I wanted to like it more.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
_maggie__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic friendship
moneill4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
ardour's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I love a dark atmosphere to a novel but I think this went beyond a ‘dark vibe’—by me feeling a bit terrible after finishing because I realised I had kind of been gaslit/manipulated by the narrator to keep excusing her behaviour and refusing to see her for how awful she really was.
Her unashamedly horrible thoughts/actions throughout the book kinda got me hooked because i kept looking for evidence that deep down she was a good person?
Anyway, I won’t say any more but if you have similar experiences to mine and decide to read ahead, make sure that your overall mental health is okay (as in ur not in the middle of a depressive episode) before starting & make sure you have someone u feel safe with you decompress :)
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Self harm, Torture, and Vomit
Minor: Biphobia
IMO, proceed *with caution* if you have trauma from psychological abuse/manipulation. I love a dark atmosphere to a novel but I think this went beyond a ‘dark vibe’—by me feeling a bit terrible after finishing because I realised I had kind of been gaslit/manipulated by the narrator to keep excusing her behaviour and refusing to see her for how awful she really was. Her unashamedly horrible thoughts/actions throughout the book kinda got me hooked because i kept looking for evidence that deep down she was a good person? Anyway, I won’t say any more but if you have similar experiences to mine and decide to read ahead, make sure that your overall mental health is okay (as in ur not in the middle of a depressive episode) before starting & make sure you have someone u feel safe with you decompress :)caitatkinson_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
olivia119's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Torture
hollow_men's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Cursing
ashleyxx8's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
rebeccafarren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting