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sleepburrito's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
versmonesprit's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Comprising of overly-stereotypical anecdotes, Magma fails to flesh out its characters, even the narrator (to the point we learn her age from the back cover) while capturing every aspect of an abusive relationship. Because the characters aren’t fleshed out, the events feel unrealistic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug use
tesslw's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
TW; rape, sexual assault, sexual content, self harm, emotional abuse / manipulation, alcoholism, suicide attempt, fatphobia
This book is one of the most atrocious things I have read in terms of content, outlining the dynamics within a sickeningly manipulative and emotionally abusive relationship - but it is also one of the most compelling and stunning books I have read in both style and delivery.
Magma is the story of Lilja, a 20-year old woman deeply in love with her boyfriend (whose name we never learn). On the surface he appears charming, handsome and educated, with a strong moral compass (a vegetarian, no less!) - but as we progress through the novel and Lilja recounts his behaviours as they become increasingly obsessive and overbearing, it seems clear that these troubles are not fleeting and are only growing steadily worse. As Lilja perpetually bends to his will and becomes ever more submissive and self deprecating, Magma becomes progressively harder to read, but also increasingly powerful thematically.
At just over 200 pages and written in short, punchy vignettes this is incredibly easy to devour; I did so in a single afternoon sitting, finding myself squirming at increasingly regular intervals but unable to tear myself away from the story. This book is absolutely peppered with content warnings (so much so that they’re actually printed on the book - that’s how you KNOW it’s heavy) so please please be aware that this is not a read for everyone. It’s brutal and harrowing but it’s also hauntingly poetic. This does not glamourize abuse of power. Not for a single second. It simply shines a spotlight on the power of desperate infatuation and loss of identity to another person in a way that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down. I’ve heard this compared strongly to Boy Parts and Acts of Desperation, so if you’ve read and enjoyed either, this might be one for you to consider picking up.
This book is one of the most atrocious things I have read in terms of content, outlining the dynamics within a sickeningly manipulative and emotionally abusive relationship - but it is also one of the most compelling and stunning books I have read in both style and delivery.
Magma is the story of Lilja, a 20-year old woman deeply in love with her boyfriend (whose name we never learn). On the surface he appears charming, handsome and educated, with a strong moral compass (a vegetarian, no less!) - but as we progress through the novel and Lilja recounts his behaviours as they become increasingly obsessive and overbearing, it seems clear that these troubles are not fleeting and are only growing steadily worse. As Lilja perpetually bends to his will and becomes ever more submissive and self deprecating, Magma becomes progressively harder to read, but also increasingly powerful thematically.
At just over 200 pages and written in short, punchy vignettes this is incredibly easy to devour; I did so in a single afternoon sitting, finding myself squirming at increasingly regular intervals but unable to tear myself away from the story. This book is absolutely peppered with content warnings (so much so that they’re actually printed on the book - that’s how you KNOW it’s heavy) so please please be aware that this is not a read for everyone. It’s brutal and harrowing but it’s also hauntingly poetic. This does not glamourize abuse of power. Not for a single second. It simply shines a spotlight on the power of desperate infatuation and loss of identity to another person in a way that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down. I’ve heard this compared strongly to Boy Parts and Acts of Desperation, so if you’ve read and enjoyed either, this might be one for you to consider picking up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Pregnancy
jordancherise's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Rape
xdaxotax's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use, Blood, and Rape
Minor: Fatphobia
mondovertigo's review
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Self harm, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Body shaming and Eating disorder
Minor: Pregnancy, Drug abuse, and Drug use
izzysz's review
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Toxic relationship and Sexual assault
literallyelza's review
dark
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Rape
shelby1994's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
TW: Sexual Assault, Depression, Self Harm, Abuse
I don't know what I was thinking, reading this right after "Detransition, Baby." Both of these books were so raw you could get salmonella just from flicking through them.
But honestly, I've been so behind on my reading and I was dying to be able to squeeze in something for "Women in Translation" month, and this was such a short book that it seemed perfect. Always be careful of thing that seem too good to be true. Yes, you could easily finish this book in an hour or two, but the entire time you'll be reading it you'll be squirming uncomfortably. Magma shows us the fragments of a young woman's thoughts as she goes through an emotionally abusive relationship. You're shoved into hurt after hurt, until the hurt takes on a sticky, lingering feeling that you can't wash off.
I think that the format of this book really lent itself to showcasing emotional abuse; the quick snips of Lilja's give you just enough to draw you in before the scene snaps closed and you're left cold and isolated, much like how Lijla feels in her relationship. My only real complaint is that I think the book would have been more effective if we could have seen what drew Lilja this man in the first place. By the time we meet him, he is already a permanent fixture in her life and any charm he may have once had has completely worn off, leaving it hard to understand why the relationship formed in the beginning.
Would definitely recommend this to fans of "Normal People," people who enjoy reading other people's diaries, or anyone who'd like to fit in a book to round out Women in Translation Month
I don't know what I was thinking, reading this right after "Detransition, Baby." Both of these books were so raw you could get salmonella just from flicking through them.
But honestly, I've been so behind on my reading and I was dying to be able to squeeze in something for "Women in Translation" month, and this was such a short book that it seemed perfect. Always be careful of thing that seem too good to be true. Yes, you could easily finish this book in an hour or two, but the entire time you'll be reading it you'll be squirming uncomfortably. Magma shows us the fragments of a young woman's thoughts as she goes through an emotionally abusive relationship. You're shoved into hurt after hurt, until the hurt takes on a sticky, lingering feeling that you can't wash off.
I think that the format of this book really lent itself to showcasing emotional abuse; the quick snips of Lilja's give you just enough to draw you in before the scene snaps closed and you're left cold and isolated, much like how Lijla feels in her relationship. My only real complaint is that I think the book would have been more effective if we could have seen what drew Lilja this man in the first place. By the time we meet him, he is already a permanent fixture in her life and any charm he may have once had has completely worn off, leaving it hard to understand why the relationship formed in the beginning.
Would definitely recommend this to fans of "Normal People," people who enjoy reading other people's diaries, or anyone who'd like to fit in a book to round out Women in Translation Month
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Self harm
Moderate: Sexual assault
booksnailmail's review
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
“Words: He’s a master at turning my words against me. He remembers everything better than I do - he just takes the most uncharacteristic thing I’ve said…
In Magma, we find 20 year old Lilja enamored with a seemingly pragmatic and intelligent older man who drives their relationship. However, Lilja’s frankness on the page begins to unravel truths about her relationship which she attempts to handle with ironic voyeuristic humor at her own expense. She recounts the humiliations of sex alongside to the pleasures, hand in hand, to seemingly bring us in on the joke. If she brutalizes herself on the page before us, maybe we can collectively deny the sinister manipulation of her relationship. She tries to transform what is brutal to banal.
The novel seemingly follows a non-plot, there is no beginning, middle or resolution. There is simply Lilja before her boyfriend, and Lilja after. As readers, we are forced to approach with concern. We must deflect Lilja’s nauseating attempts at humor, and scream for her safety. No one else in her life will. Eventually though, Lilja meets us at our concern. She too wonders if she will survive her relationship, and attempts to collect the scraps of herself she has left.
Hjörleifsdóttir writes a complex narrative with poetic concision, throughout it all delicately balancing the narrative voice of an immature young woman. I read this novel in an afternoon, but find myself ruminating on it weeks later. I found it interesting that Lilja is named in the novel, while the boyfriend is not. Lilja’s humanity is developed, and her boyfriend’s remains hazy. The point must be taken though, that we don’t really need to know him to understand his sin. The author leaves us no room to make excuses or find morality in his actions. The novel centers Lilja, no matter how dizzying the consequence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Sexual assault
Moderate: Rape, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse