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li3v3's review
Too horrendous, messed up story, sexual abuse, too dark for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
savvylit's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I read Cat Person in 2018, and it simultaneously captivated and disturbed me. I was intrigued to see if the rest of Roupenian's stories would hit that same note and they did not disappoint. This collection is both unsettling and sharp. Some stories outshine the others by a mile but overall this collection was a great ride. Perfect for fans of books like A Touch of Jen or Her Body & Other Parties.
My favorite stories in You Know You Want This were "Sardines," "The Good Guy," and "The Matchbox Sign." The Good Guy captured a specific type of passive toxic masculinity so, so perfectly. It was an excellent companion story to Cat Person. Sardines and The Matchbox Sign turned from damaging thinking into disgusting horror. Right up my alley! 10/10 would re-read those 3 stories again and again.
My favorite stories in You Know You Want This were "Sardines," "The Good Guy," and "The Matchbox Sign." The Good Guy captured a specific type of passive toxic masculinity so, so perfectly. It was an excellent companion story to Cat Person. Sardines and The Matchbox Sign turned from damaging thinking into disgusting horror. Right up my alley! 10/10 would re-read those 3 stories again and again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Body horror, Misogyny, and Sexual violence
transpinestwins's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
2.0
I liked “Cat Person” when I first read it, but only enough to want to check out the rest of Roupenian’s work, so the fact that it’s a high point in this collection is a disappointment. The writing is all over the place, with lots of clumsy exposition and weird last-minute tonal shifts. I liked “The Good Guy,” and stories like “Cat Person,” “The Night Runner,” and “The Mirror, the Bucket, and the Old Thigh Bone” at least have some potential or interesting ideas. Mostly, though, this collection was just dull and unpleasantly cynical (or bleak, to steal a word from Roxane Gay). We also started off on the worst possible foot, since I absolutely hated “Bad Boy.”
Altogether, I was hoping for better from this author than I got. I would be curious to know when some of these pieces were written relatively to each other — maybe she’s improving over time?
Altogether, I was hoping for better from this author than I got. I would be curious to know when some of these pieces were written relatively to each other — maybe she’s improving over time?
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence
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