Reviews

The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia

candyfaerie's review

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

thedamwife's review

1.0

Worst book ever. Content Warning: lots of glorification of self harm

suniyan's review

dark funny hopeful mysterious fast-paced

5.0

souldentist's review

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A little too much machismo balanced by poignant magical realism in a framework of narrative conflict. The typographical additions and novel formatting are all in service to the story and never feel like they're taking too much attention, but the whole book feels like unprocessed emotions that sometimes could have been left in a diary or unsent letter.

marthaweeze's review

emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.75

allisonjpmiller's review

3.0

Definitely have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this one. Structurally and thematically it's insanely rich—there are almost too many different ways into the material, too many lenses you can use to start a conversation about it: documentation, self-construction, volition, omniscience, misinformation, narrative control, spectrality, colonialism. The list goes on. And the fact that it (mostly) takes place in the same area of California where I grew up heightened the sense of magical realism for me. I mean, a paper-mache piece of sky falling on the trail at the top of the San Gabriel range? I can picture that exact spot.

But there's also a big chunk of the book that's just ... men angry at women, men sad about women, men who are angry that they're angry and sad that they're sad and a LOT of super unsexy sex. So that's less compelling. I can see the self-critique that Plascencia is trying to undertake through these elements and scenes, but at certain points, it becomes hard to distinguish from self-indulgence.

christinastrupp's review

emotional medium-paced

3.25

lizzydennyreadsabook's review

4.0

The prose of this book was so beautiful and the story so creative, but it was difficult at times to keep straight everything that was happening. This book has a lot of strong metaphorical images and storylines that I think deserve further unpacking. I truly think an entire class could be taught on this book!

rajaraks's review

3.0

3.5 stars rounded down. This was an interesting book for me. On paper (ha) I should be in love with this. It had a super imaginative layout/presentation, a clever way of pulling in the author/reader into the story, and it's in one of my favorite genres: magical realism. But for some reason it took me awhile (about 2 weeks) to get through the 200-some pages.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it but I think it comes down to the core heart of the story, about heartache and loss, and I didn't really care for some reason. I was more interested in the paper woman who doesn't get that much "screentime". Oh well. It's still a great story!

katiebrumbelow's review

3.0

there was a lot going on with this book. I think it would make a good book club book because of all the aspects, metaphors, and what not. I'd say it was a little too much and a little too vulgar with some of the language that I didn't give it a four. But it was a different and interesting book.