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lit_laugh_luv's review against another edition
4.0
I don't even know how to describe Nefando - it's like nothing I've ever read before in both writing style and premise. It is extremely close to a 5 star book for me - the execution and writing is certainly 5 stars, but if I'm also considering my personal enjoyment I have to bump it down to 4 stars given how heavy the content was, and that some bits were beyond my comprehension (which is not something I can fault the book for, just lil ol' me). The plot follows a group of 6 roommates and their varying connections to a video game hosted on the dark web named Nefando, though in principle it is told through retrospective interviews that read more like individual essays. I quite enjoyed this style, though the narrative is a bit fragmented due to it.
By design, the narrative here is very esoteric. At it's core, the book is ultimately about childhood trauma and abuse and how this propels the six roommates to embrace different aspects of counterculture in varying ways. There's critical dissections of the interplay between BDSM and religion, the lived realities of gender dysphoria, our online personas as performance, the limitations of language, the experience of pain, and how we use technology as a form of escapism from our physical selves. It is broad and ambitious in its scope but absolutely does an excellent job at carefully approaching each of these themes.
At times, it can be a bit dense and some sections certainly went over my head - this isn't necessarily a critique on the writing, but mostly my lack of knowledge to some of the historical, cultural, or religious references. As a whole, it's a really interesting perspective on corruption and blame - our six characters are no doubt shaped immensely by their trauma, but their coping methods are all deeply disturbing that you feel a lot of confliction in their narratives.
As a fair warning, the book is incredibly dark - every character's introspections are largely driven by their experiences with childhood physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse. This was pretty well advertised in the marketing of the book - but warning readers just in case! Despite the intensely dark premise, Ojeda never makes things feel gratuitous or strictly for shock value - there is a lot of important consideration given to themes like humanity, morality, forgiveness, and pain. The portrayal of the dark web here is particularly interesting, as there is a lot of broader discussion about the internet as an alternate version of society that still ends up as morally corrupt and depraved despite being a blank slate.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and I would have to say Monica Ojeda is one of the best writers I've ever read from. I certainly wouldn't broadly recommend this book given how intensely disturbing it is, but if you're up for it I would certainly give this a go. I will definitely be reading Jawbone very soon, and will definitely pick up a physical copy of this when it releases and annotate the hell out of this!
Thank you to Coffee House Press for the ARC!
By design, the narrative here is very esoteric. At it's core, the book is ultimately about childhood trauma and abuse and how this propels the six roommates to embrace different aspects of counterculture in varying ways. There's critical dissections of the interplay between BDSM and religion, the lived realities of gender dysphoria, our online personas as performance, the limitations of language, the experience of pain, and how we use technology as a form of escapism from our physical selves. It is broad and ambitious in its scope but absolutely does an excellent job at carefully approaching each of these themes.
At times, it can be a bit dense and some sections certainly went over my head - this isn't necessarily a critique on the writing, but mostly my lack of knowledge to some of the historical, cultural, or religious references. As a whole, it's a really interesting perspective on corruption and blame - our six characters are no doubt shaped immensely by their trauma, but their coping methods are all deeply disturbing that you feel a lot of confliction in their narratives.
As a fair warning, the book is incredibly dark - every character's introspections are largely driven by their experiences with childhood physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse. This was pretty well advertised in the marketing of the book - but warning readers just in case! Despite the intensely dark premise, Ojeda never makes things feel gratuitous or strictly for shock value - there is a lot of important consideration given to themes like humanity, morality, forgiveness, and pain. The portrayal of the dark web here is particularly interesting, as there is a lot of broader discussion about the internet as an alternate version of society that still ends up as morally corrupt and depraved despite being a blank slate.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and I would have to say Monica Ojeda is one of the best writers I've ever read from. I certainly wouldn't broadly recommend this book given how intensely disturbing it is, but if you're up for it I would certainly give this a go. I will definitely be reading Jawbone very soon, and will definitely pick up a physical copy of this when it releases and annotate the hell out of this!
Thank you to Coffee House Press for the ARC!
maddykris's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mxss_winterfell's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
3.25
I feel it is one I will have to revisit having now read the whole book and the translation notes, but I'm not in a hurry to delve into these topics again. The true brutality of humans and humanity was reflected in Nefando.
steph_phanie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Excrement, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Incest, Dysphoria, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Animal death, and Child abuse
zeldabruh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
micardila's review against another edition
challenging
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
Thematically, this book explores the power of controlling our own narrative, ethical curiosity and rebellion, the tension being body and mind (material and immaterial experience), and how stories can help reveal or test our natures.
This book is easier to read/digest when approached from a lens of cultural and moral study. While there is a point driving the story forward, the mystery plot is more of a catalyst than the point of the novel. The novel suffers from not having a driving plot. It's structure of various POVs keeps the story from ever really taking its full form.
There are trigger warnings for this book: sexual abuse, pedophilia, rape, self harm, to name a few. Some of these are told from first person POV, so it will test your experience....which I think is kind of the point. Once I figured this out, I tended to skim these parts or skip altogether. And that's okay! Again, the book is exploring these ethical and personal themes around these subjects, and I think it's a good sign if you are disgusted and want to skim/skip.
I'm still thinking about the themes and content matter and whether the shock value is successful in delivering it. I think to some extent yes because it is the reader experience during these scenes that the book is commenting on...the fact that many of these happen during the metafiction is further proof of that.
Anyway, this was challenging and one of the first books I ever had to put down for a bit before coming back to. I wouldn't say it was an enjoyable read. It did, however, get me thinking about certain topics/themes and our role in them, so for that I give it 2 stars reflecting my experience.
This book is easier to read/digest when approached from a lens of cultural and moral study. While there is a point driving the story forward, the mystery plot is more of a catalyst than the point of the novel. The novel suffers from not having a driving plot. It's structure of various POVs keeps the story from ever really taking its full form.
There are trigger warnings for this book: sexual abuse, pedophilia, rape, self harm, to name a few. Some of these are told from first person POV, so it will test your experience....which I think is kind of the point. Once I figured this out, I tended to skim these parts or skip altogether. And that's okay! Again, the book is exploring these ethical and personal themes around these subjects, and I think it's a good sign if you are disgusted and want to skim/skip.
I'm still thinking about the themes and content matter and whether the shock value is successful in delivering it. I think to some extent yes because it is the reader experience during these scenes that the book is commenting on...the fact that many of these happen during the metafiction is further proof of that.
Anyway, this was challenging and one of the first books I ever had to put down for a bit before coming back to. I wouldn't say it was an enjoyable read. It did, however, get me thinking about certain topics/themes and our role in them, so for that I give it 2 stars reflecting my experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Incest, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Excrement, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Suicide and Animal cruelty
hannahglass's review against another edition
Blahhhhhh. I see what the author is going for, but this is less horror and more abuse/torture porn. Pass :/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Self harm, Rape, Incest, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Animal death, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Body horror, and Adult/minor relationship
ghoulgalpal's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
becks_bookshelf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.5