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lowercase_em's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Abortion
savvylit's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Orpheus Builds a Girl is a deeply disturbing dual perspective novel. On the one hand, we have Wilhelm who is absolutely deranged. On the other hand, we have Gabriela, the older sister of the object of Wilhelm's obsession. The juxtaposition between the two narrators is incredible, particularly when it comes to their approach to Luci. Gabriela loves Luci as a flawed and three dimensional person. Wilhelm only ever loves Luci as an object that he feels destined to own.
Wilhelm is a Grade A Monster from page one. After Wilhelm manipulates his way into Luci's family as her primary caregiver, his pre-established and unchecked feelings of entitlement, racism, and misogyny become increasingly apparent. Wilhelm never takes Luci's family members seriously, believing them to be uneducated and brutish merely because of their status as Cuban immigrants. Even worse, he's truly convinced himself that Luci loves him even though he continues to have a complete disregard for her wishes. When she protests his advances, he thinks she's just being coy and flirtatious. Sadly, Luci is too ill and weak to assert her dislike of Wilhelm.
Wilhelm is absolutely horrible and one of the most terrifying antagonists I have ever encountered in fiction. (What makes him even more disturbing is the fact that he is based on a real person, Carl Tanzler). However, Wilhelm is not the only thing that's scary in this novel. Parry expertly creates not just one disturbing person but a multitude of horrors. There's the horror of anti-immigrant sentiment and the resulting lack of agency. There's the horror of your loved one's death becoming a spectacle. There are endlessly vivid and disgusting descriptions of a body in decay. Overall, steel yourself to be uncomfortable throughout this excellently crafted novel.
Wilhelm is a Grade A Monster from page one. After Wilhelm manipulates his way into Luci's family as her primary caregiver, his pre-established and unchecked feelings of entitlement, racism, and misogyny become increasingly apparent. Wilhelm never takes Luci's family members seriously, believing them to be uneducated and brutish merely because of their status as Cuban immigrants. Even worse, he's truly convinced himself that Luci loves him even though he continues to have a complete disregard for her wishes. When she protests his advances, he thinks she's just being coy and flirtatious. Sadly, Luci is too ill and weak to assert her dislike of Wilhelm.
Wilhelm is absolutely horrible and one of the most terrifying antagonists I have ever encountered in fiction. (What makes him even more disturbing is the fact that he is based on a real person, Carl Tanzler). However, Wilhelm is not the only thing that's scary in this novel. Parry expertly creates not just one disturbing person but a multitude of horrors. There's the horror of anti-immigrant sentiment and the resulting lack of agency. There's the horror of your loved one's death becoming a spectacle. There are endlessly vivid and disgusting descriptions of a body in decay. Overall, steel yourself to be uncomfortable throughout this excellently crafted novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, Death, Animal death, Racism, Violence, and Sexual violence
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