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rin_dawg's review
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Alcoholism, Excrement, and Eating disorder
augusta_'s review
- 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? Yes
3.25
I liked it better than My Year of Rest and Relaxation—one of her other books I read previously, which, the more I think about the less I like.
The thing is, Eileen still has some of the same problems that disenchanted me with that book. I really don’t love the reused themes of eating disorders, the fantasies of sexual assault, the ultra descriptive paragraphs about laxatives and shitting, with seemingly nothing insightful or redeeming attached to them. Maybe it’s going over my head, maybe i’m not reading deep enough, maybe i’m being too demure. But I don’t think i am. It feels like Ottessa uses these themes for shock and and unconventionality—especially in the form of her narrators—rather than having perceivable psychological significance.
There are a couple moments in the book that escape this and do have a commentary that is more significant, but most of the time that doesn’t feel like the case.
I will say that the pace of this was a lot faster than R&R, and I very much appreciated that. But by the same token I also feel like nothing really happened? It’s fast paced and feels like it’s leading up to this huge thing…but once we get there it feels like about 3 pages of action. Given all the prior building up and alluding to of this “life changing event”, things really fell a little flat once you arrive there. I feel like I was much more intrigued by the lead up, than the actual “climactic” event.
The end falls into the same problem I had with My Year of Rest & Relaxation. We have a character who’s suddenly turned around their once cynical view on life, and yet it doesn’t seem earned—or even really plausible, to me. It feels rushed and neatly tied off, in a way that doesn’t align with the rest of the book.
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gore, Rape, and Incest
Moderate: Eating disorder, Misogyny, Fatphobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Excrement, and Death
Minor: Gun violence, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Stalking
megansc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Vomit, Excrement, and Body horror
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Death of parent
hlb2023's review
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Dysphoria, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Self harm, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Fatphobia, Grief, Incest, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Misogyny, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Mental illness, Child abuse, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Gun violence, and Homophobia
hick's review
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Rape, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Incest, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Confinement, Mental illness, Cursing, Dysphoria, Stalking, Body shaming, Excrement, Misogyny, and Vomit
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Grief, Classism, Animal death, Abandonment, Police brutality, and Blood
mlovesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Incest, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Death, Ableism, and Body shaming
Moderate: Excrement
houndoflove1985's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Excrement, Rape, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Vomit
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Excrement, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Pedophilia
lanternhillbooks's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Body horror, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Stalking, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Excrement and Animal death
brianareads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Vomit and Excrement
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Incest, and Murder