Reviews

Inferno by Eileen Myles

jmcook's review

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reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

oraclebykittie's review

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3.5

oh my god eileen you are exhausting. but i like your life, thank you for letting me hang out in there. we're the same boy.

lizawall's review

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4.0

I read this because I heard it had a lot of sex in it, and due to some kind of error the publisher sent it to me for free. Other times I tried to read Eileen Myles I couldn't get past the feeling that she was full of it in the bad way, but in this book she seemed more sympathetic because there are parts about being young and not knowing a lot, and there is that great line about being an old crappy dyke with half a brain leaking a book. There wasn't as much sex as I was hoping but still some pretty good parts. Lots of it was true in the way that you know things are true but you feel like you aren't allowed to say it like maybe it is embarrassing but she just says it.

very_mellifluous's review against another edition

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I expected to like this book - it fits all the things I usually enjoy. But it felt disjointed in a not-enjoyable way. And the passages seem to be collections of memories about places, which I would regularly enjoy, but something about the pacing and style didn’t hit right for me. I am still going to try some of Myles’ other books, and maybe I’ll come back to finish Inferno in the future!

sunnyd123's review

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5.0

I just remembered that my life isn’t over but a poem is the grave for it all

marcellaflamme's review

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adventurous challenging emotional

3.0

hmoog's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

a_1212's review

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3.0

~3.5

rkkmistry's review

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5.0

Ok I mean obviously you have to take my review with a grain of salt because there’s no way I wouldn’t give this book 5 stars because it’s just everything that I love about books. And I’m not even saying that because of the poetry world connections, it’s just like non-linear, memoir-esque stuff with no plot and a few interesting formal devices with always get my full approval. BUT really I’m here to talk about how I think this is THE NEW YORK NOVEL for me. Like it just NAILS being like a young sort of creative person in nyc in this way that’s so so so good and relatable and inspiring but really it’s just like, yes—that is IT!! Just like the sort of sprawling sense of purpose and time matched with the intensity of work and financial fear and the venues that are always closing and the beers and the trying to do work work always and the “cool” people and social drama and trips outside the city and the random stuff at people’s apartments. And it’s interesting especially because there’s a point where they clearly like have become more famous (given what they’re doing and who they’re hanging with) but it’s also never like there’s some point where they “make it” either. It’s just like life keeps happening and going on and there’s all this stuff. Also of course super interesting to hear about gay and lesbian culture in this moment that is not that long ago and very much informs where we’re at, but is also different in many ways.

inesparis's review

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challenging emotional funny informative reflective 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? N/A

3.0