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lea333's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood
feliz_in_a_bucket's review
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual harassment, and Child abuse
slimy's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.75
Yes, it is a pretentious story of a man who thinks he is the only existentialist alive, but it is the very best of French existentialism. This book is written in the form of journal entries from our deeply narcissistic and pathetic main character as he encounters and begins to see truth through spells of “nausea”, which are described kinda like an acid trip. In his writing, Sartrè makes us simultaneously hate and see truth in our main character.
Very depressing and dull in places. There’s like a 5 pages section where the main character just describes the lives of people in portraits he’s currently viewing. A few other sections too that just don’t contribute to the story. But there are also lines and scenes and relationships that speak to the very common core of human existence.
Overall, there aren’t themes of sexism/racism that interact with the story in a overt way, but the main character does use terms that were historically not considered offensive but today would be unacceptable. The development of Anny, the main character’s ex-partner, whom he idolizes and fantasizes for most of the book, is resolved in the end in a way I found quite satisfying. He hasn’t seen her in a while, and when they meet again in the end, she is an entirely different person than he has expected. She has lived a life, hasn’t kept herself the same for him, and doesn’t give in to his ideas about her. Go Anny.
It’s less than 200 pages, but it took me over a month to read. Dense for sure. Not always what you’re in the mood to pick up.
Very depressing and dull in places. There’s like a 5 pages section where the main character just describes the lives of people in portraits he’s currently viewing. A few other sections too that just don’t contribute to the story. But there are also lines and scenes and relationships that speak to the very common core of human existence.
Overall, there aren’t themes of sexism/racism that interact with the story in a overt way, but the main character does use terms that were historically not considered offensive but today would be unacceptable. The development of Anny, the main character’s ex-partner, whom he idolizes and fantasizes for most of the book, is resolved in the end in a way I found quite satisfying. He hasn’t seen her in a while, and when they meet again in the end, she is an entirely different person than he has expected. She has lived a life, hasn’t kept herself the same for him, and doesn’t give in to his ideas about her. Go Anny.
It’s less than 200 pages, but it took me over a month to read. Dense for sure. Not always what you’re in the mood to pick up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts
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