Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - These Violent Delights

how the fuck do I even talk about this

when people pitched it as a book with incredibly morally grey characters in this toxic queer relationship doing crimes, that is exactly what I got. a lot of the times, I think, when people read morally grey characters, they try to "un-grey" them to feel more comfortable reading about them. I guarantee you, you won't be able to do that here: these two boys are as grey and as toxic as they can get.

the most violent aspect of this story isn't even the murder that happens. I was expecting something more from there than what I got, but it was more of a surprise to me than something that put me off. if you do want to know about the violence:

essentially Julian lets Paul hit him near the end of Part I and Paul continuously self-harms by hitting himself throughout the novel

. it's fun! (sarcastic)

the writing was absolutely stunning as a debut novel, I highlighted so much. the author really knows how to write and this type of writing is my favourite. yes, it's so fucking pretentious but that is the point. these two boys are clever and can think for themselves and are convinced no one else can. in a way, from what they've seen,

e.g. the Milgram experiment,

they have a right to believe that.

Paul's narrative felt both very personal and also very distant, it's incredible how the author managed to do that almost seamlessly, bringing us closer during very uncomfortable moments in the most perfect times. I personally also loved the unreliability of Paul as a narrator, it got you thinking about how he viewed things, why he did and what is actually real. Julian's development as a result felt subtle but on the second read, I noticed that it was there, the shift from cruel to desperation and it was so captivating to see this classically charismatic character crack under specific circumstances. as someone who's currently experiencing grief, the trauma from it is weaved into Paul's actions and thoughts, you won't notice that it's there until you read closely and connect things together.

Paul and Julian's relationship... head in hands. It's so toxic and codependent but because I went into this knowing that this was not going to end well, I was just mesmerised by their dynamic and how they worked both well and terribly together. they didn't make me cry (I only cried during that one scene with Paul and his mother upon the first read bc lol I'm bi) but I felt like I could. this is, like, the perfect execution of a toxic and addictive back-and-forth type of relationship. the motifs with the butterflies and how Paul views beauty, pairing it with violence; the murder and how they see it as a way to mend their relationship because this is something to be kept between them, if one gets ratted out, so does the other; how Paul clung onto Julian's "I know you can do better" attitude from when they first met but it's just another manifestation of and outlet for Paul's self hatred. this book is so subtle in many ways I'm gonna drive myself off a cliff /j

Paul's family was really nice representation of a well-meaning family that just doesn't understand. you see it in the way of Paul being a self-centred 17-year-old and also from a queer perspective. the nuance in general in this book was really good. and also, Paul so felt autistic to me, I don't want to say I related to everything about him because... yeah no, but when he overanalysed everything and everyone, trying to react in ways that he's 'supposed to', being shy and aloof, I could go on.

it is very slow, but it is a literary character study and you do have to pay attention to a lot of the things that are said because I missed out on quite a few things on my first read through. you don't get to the murder until the last two parts and it did drag on during the middle so know that going in. personally, the depth we go into Paul and Julian's characters made up for it, but for more plot-driven folk, this might not be for you. this story focuses on morality, toxic relationship and self-hatred, do keep that in mind.

the grasp this story has over me has been subtle until the point of realisation and I think that's what sticks out the most to me. (I gave it a second read and listened to the author talk about it as well as what other readers thought about it to fully get every little bit of what this story was trying to say. I think I'm just off the edge of finishing the denial stage of my obsession with this). definitely getting a physical copy.

and that last line. don't talk to me.

Content Warnings

mrclintdavis's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

wackly93's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.25

Content Warnings

avciera7's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.0

This book is such an amazing depiction of toxic codependency and the way it interacts with queer suppression. It understands that when people are driven together by layers of otherness, having connection can become more important than health, self-preservation, morals, & everything in between. It is also brutally honest in how it frames self-loathing and the ways that self-loathing creates its own narratives and justifications. The characters are deeply unlikeable, but in a painfully recognizable and intimate way. Also, this book has one of the best closing lines I've ever read.

What gets in the way of this book being truly phenomenal are two things - 1. The middle of the book DRAGS terribly. There are lot of similar scenes that slow the tension when I think they are meant to add to it. 2. A lot of time is spent describing how Paul is interpreting Julian (sentences like "he said this in a way that seemed almost like this, but I knew it was really that"). Yes, this adds to putting us into Paul's viewpoint and his unreliable narration, but it was really repetitive and at times seemed too astute to be the character, rather than the author, explaining.

Content Warnings

niccolowilliam's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow. Damn.

Content Warnings

risemini's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

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