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biobeetle's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Xenophobia and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Dementia and Murder
lidia7's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
i'm very confused by the ending but still i enjoyed my time a lot!
i was left with a lot of questions at the end, very spoiler heavy!! :
Is there an actual human sacrifice? What happens to the kids? Are they reading names of kids that were sacrificed? Does Pew sacrifice themselves or do they run away? etc...
i was left with a lot of questions at the end, very spoiler heavy!! :
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Xenophobia
Moderate: Hate crime, Transphobia, and Racism
Minor: Confinement, Medical content, Animal death, and Murder
brianna_moye's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
5.0
Moderate: Racism, Animal death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Religious bigotry
savvylit's review
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Pew is, at it's core, a fable that questions morality and identity while simultaneously exposing the harmful nature of projection. In just over 200 pages, Catherine Lacey has managed to reveal all of the particular menaces of an isolated community.
The congregants at the center of this novel are righteous and certain of their own goodness. Throughout Pew, their one-sided conversations with the stranger uncover the truth; that good intentions do not beget good actions. In a slow and foreboding fashion reminiscent of the horror genre, Lacey portrays the manipulative side of charity. When generosity was never asked for, who does it really serve and who does it harm?
Furthermore, Catherine Lacey has created a narrator who is unknown and ambiguous to both the book's characters and to readers. In doing so, Lacey has deftly revealed modern society's reliance on forcing individuals to conform to specific ways of being. Readers discover that this form of projection and pressure only creates opportunity for harm and animosity.
Pew is truly a masterwork of a novel that I will never forget. This particular copy was a library loan but I look forward to owning my very own copy. I think Pew would fit perfectly and seamlessly alongside books by Carson McCullers, Flannery O'Connor, and Shirley Jackson on my bookshelf.
The congregants at the center of this novel are righteous and certain of their own goodness. Throughout Pew, their one-sided conversations with the stranger uncover the truth; that good intentions do not beget good actions. In a slow and foreboding fashion reminiscent of the horror genre, Lacey portrays the manipulative side of charity. When generosity was never asked for, who does it really serve and who does it harm?
Furthermore, Catherine Lacey has created a narrator who is unknown and ambiguous to both the book's characters and to readers. In doing so, Lacey has deftly revealed modern society's reliance on forcing individuals to conform to specific ways of being. Readers discover that this form of projection and pressure only creates opportunity for harm and animosity.
Pew is truly a masterwork of a novel that I will never forget. This particular copy was a library loan but I look forward to owning my very own copy. I think Pew would fit perfectly and seamlessly alongside books by Carson McCullers, Flannery O'Connor, and Shirley Jackson on my bookshelf.
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Outing, Transphobia, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Violence, Hate crime, and Confinement
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