Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Empty Theatre by Jac Jemc

2 reviews

maura_kathleen's review

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dark funny informative fast-paced
  • 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? Yes

4.25

Really had a good time with this one -- it fed my latent fascination with this period of European history. A compelling look at compelling, troubled figures and the intersection between personality and politics and the situation of culture within it all. I was talking about this book with my husband, who has studied the Hapsburgs more than I have, and he asked what Tolstoy would make of the novel's historiography... and I lean toward feeling Jemc's perspective would agree with Tolstoy's crusade against the "great men of history" theory. The book centers around heads of state -- sort of -- but locates the engines of change... not exactly beyond them, but everywhere, really. It deals with the ripple effects of the eccentricity and selfishness of powerful people, but its heart lies in exploring the interiority of Sisi and Ludwig, asking how the constraints and conditions of their lives conspired to inhibit them from knowing how to be happy. Some of those constraints are deeply universal -- vanity, loneliness, fear of loss, loss of freedom. Both Sisi and Ludwig are at many points obviously awful, but their particularities are rendered so colorfully that the cast is altogether charming — and affecting.
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heather_freshparchment's review

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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