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pagesbyheidi's review against another edition
4.0
“who am i talking to? who am i talking to now?”
i think this was a book that i needed to read. i don’t think it is a book i will read again.
the element that jumps out to me immediately is the way the prose is written. it feels like a stream of consciousness, and while that is something hard to get used to and adjust to, it really worked during difficult moments.
i also think the very clever way that the author deteriorated the prose during specific scenes, like using sporadic capital letters or misspelt words, conveyed the panic of the narrator very well.
mcbride told the story fantastically, and i think it was a story that was needed to be told. but it was not one i enjoyed. from a literary viewpoint, an incredible story that tackled extremely triggering and hard topics in a way that comes across as very genuine. but from the viewpoint of someone who has zero idea about the contents of the book, it was a hard journey.
i would not personally recommend this book, as it was such an emotionally challenging read, but i do believe it is a book that is very important to read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
i think this was a book that i needed to read. i don’t think it is a book i will read again.
the element that jumps out to me immediately is the way the prose is written. it feels like a stream of consciousness, and while that is something hard to get used to and adjust to, it really worked during difficult moments.
i also think the very clever way that the author deteriorated the prose during specific scenes, like using sporadic capital letters or misspelt words, conveyed the panic of the narrator very well.
mcbride told the story fantastically, and i think it was a story that was needed to be told. but it was not one i enjoyed. from a literary viewpoint, an incredible story that tackled extremely triggering and hard topics in a way that comes across as very genuine. but from the viewpoint of someone who has zero idea about the contents of the book, it was a hard journey.
i would not personally recommend this book, as it was such an emotionally challenging read, but i do believe it is a book that is very important to read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
rebuiltbybooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
lilybetperry's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
gabrielle_erin's review against another edition
When I first started this book I thought the writing style was so unique and very powerful, and then the further I got into the book, the more I found it to be actually quite annoying and at times felt it detracted from the story as I was re-reading passages three or four times trying to understand what was happening. An interesting concept, but unfortunately overshadowed by the nuances of the writing.
megang815's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
2.0
bluelilyblue's review against another edition
4.0
A coming-of-age story shadowed by violence and (anticipatory) grief, A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing is much more than style for style's sake. McBride's stream of consciousness has rhythm and intent, it's stuffy and confusing in a way that perfectly suits the harshness of what you're taking in. I'm not a book crier, but somehow this convolution of recurring trauma and emotional paralysis really got to me.
readcodelove's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
dorsalfinn's review against another edition
4.0
this book was nauseating all the way through. i want to sob
bburns's review against another edition
Immediate dnf. The writing style is horrid. There was no way I could get through a book with half phrases and nonsense. It'd take me a year at least.