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feebles640's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Death, Drug use, Vomit, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Sexual content, Suicide, and Excrement
mc235's review
dark
fast-paced
3.25
this book had a lot going for it, loved the grotesqueness of it all, and found the atmosphere very carefully drawn. however, it was really weighed down by the decision to over-reference films, which felt pretentious and amateurish. the back half of the book, which had noticeably fewer direct references, was much better. a very quick read and despite its flaws I very much enjoyed it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abortion, and Vomit
markitherainbowreader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Excrement, Death, Pregnancy, Drug use, and Alcohol
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was hesitant to pick up Children of Paradise. I saw words like surreal and discomforting used to describe it and decided it wasn’t likely to be for me. I was both right and wrong.
What I loved about this novel was its richly descriptive details. The characters and the cinema, definitely a character in its own right, were so clearly and vividly depicted that I was sure I’d been there and met all the staff. It was immersively atmospheric. I also thought the writing brilliantly captured the interpersonal dynamics of a small tight-knot, rather quirky, group who operate in a very insular fashion, for whom the world outside their little bubble doesn’t really exist. It was the quality of the writing which hooked me immediately and carried me through most of the novel. I also enjoyed the chapter headings which were titles of old movies. While I wasn’t familiar with all of them, it was fun drawing connections with the chapters for those movies I did know. I imagine true cinephiles would pick up more from this aspect of the book. Another thing I enjoyed was the storyline related to the cinema being sold to a big chain and the changes that resulted. I connected with this and liked the points it made about what is lost when big corporates take over and drive out smaller, independent, unique businesses.
As the novel progressed it moved more and more in directions that don’t align with my personal taste. Lots of drug use, so many bodily fluids of all types, body horror, sordid sex. Strange things started happening and being seen by the characters. Was this surrealism? Magical realism? Simply the result of heavy drug use? Possibly it was a combination of all of the above. As time passed the body count rose and rose. Such an unlucky cinema to have so many staff and patrons die on the premises.
Much of the novel was not to my personal taste. However, I could appreciate it and enjoyed it much more than expected due to the richly detailed writing. I was transported back to the days when going to the movies was a real experience (although thankfully I never experienced many of the things that occurred at the Paradise) and movie theatres all had their own individual feel.
What I loved about this novel was its richly descriptive details. The characters and the cinema, definitely a character in its own right, were so clearly and vividly depicted that I was sure I’d been there and met all the staff. It was immersively atmospheric. I also thought the writing brilliantly captured the interpersonal dynamics of a small tight-knot, rather quirky, group who operate in a very insular fashion, for whom the world outside their little bubble doesn’t really exist. It was the quality of the writing which hooked me immediately and carried me through most of the novel. I also enjoyed the chapter headings which were titles of old movies. While I wasn’t familiar with all of them, it was fun drawing connections with the chapters for those movies I did know. I imagine true cinephiles would pick up more from this aspect of the book. Another thing I enjoyed was the storyline related to the cinema being sold to a big chain and the changes that resulted. I connected with this and liked the points it made about what is lost when big corporates take over and drive out smaller, independent, unique businesses.
As the novel progressed it moved more and more in directions that don’t align with my personal taste. Lots of drug use, so many bodily fluids of all types, body horror, sordid sex. Strange things started happening and being seen by the characters. Was this surrealism? Magical realism? Simply the result of heavy drug use? Possibly it was a combination of all of the above. As time passed the body count rose and rose. Such an unlucky cinema to have so many staff and patrons die on the premises.
Much of the novel was not to my personal taste. However, I could appreciate it and enjoyed it much more than expected due to the richly detailed writing. I was transported back to the days when going to the movies was a real experience (although thankfully I never experienced many of the things that occurred at the Paradise) and movie theatres all had their own individual feel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Drug use, Death, and Suicide
camila_caminioca's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The kind of book that makes me think 'do I hate literary fiction?'
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Suicide, Death, and Drug abuse
geraldinerowe's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm not sure I entirely "got" this book. Each of the chapters is named after a classic film, but I couldn't see the link between the film and what happened in the chapter (on the rare occasion I'd actually seen the film). It's an odd mix of a tale of a crappy job, forming relationships and surviving within that difficult environment, and an odd smattering of possibly supernatural happenings. I enjoyed it enormously, but couldn't really say why.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Excrement, Suicide, Abortion, Death, Blood, and Vomit
pun1sher's review
i think I need to stop reading weird fiction because i keep thinking that I'll end up liking one of these stories but at this point I doubt that will happen
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Abortion
Moderate: Excrement, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
ninadickens's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion, Drug use, Death, and Suicide
clarey_reads's review
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Suicide
beatrbl's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Suicide, Abortion, Death, and Excrement
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Alcohol, and Drug use