Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Rejection

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte

101 reviews

dizzzybrook's review against another edition

2.0

dark funny medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

One of those short story collections where every story was so obnoxious and watered down by its own self awareness that it becomes boring and repetitive. The first two stories were honestly quite good but the rest felt like reading a bad reddit thread. The fact that these stories, though fictional, likely do actually exist in reality to some capacity is deeply depressing. The audiobook was entertaining but will likely never cross my mind again.

Content Warnings

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

My first reaction after listening to "Rejection" was: what the heck did I just read?! An incel novel? A queer book? Satire? Discussions on race? A book about a bunch of failed characters? Well, it's all of that, but it doesn't really explain the book.

This is a collection of short stories that focuses on rejections of all sorts, just as the title applies. After reading some of them you realise that they are interconnected, that the characters keep popping up in each others lives, in one way or another.

Among others, we meet a male feminist who, despite his support of women, never gets beyond the friend zone. A woman whose life gets destroyed after a one-night-stand with a male friend. A gay man who's afraid of his own s*xual fantasies. A woman(?) who refuses to be labeled in any way. It's about relationships, s*x, identity and the internet. It's also about shame, frustration, anger and self-hatred.

I have giggled, been dismayed and felt disgust while listening. I don't believe this is a book for everyone, but I ended up liking it for the most part, and I have to thank my coworker who recommended it to me!

Content Warnings

dystopiablues's review against another edition

4.5

dark funny reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

campirebat's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

emoduke101's review against another edition

4.0

challenging funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

slowlytyped's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

seasonedreadings's review

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

nhsnyc's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

emreadsbooksagain's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

There is no way I can adequately summarise this book but one attempt would be abject, excruciating and awful (in the best kind of way). But that is the point. And that is the critique. The novel is fierce and leaves no one in its scope unharmed. A damning representation of millennial culture, especially that of the internet and the superficiality/constructedness of social media, self-entitlement, identity, repression, and humiliation. Deeply uncomfortable stuff. The writing is clever and insanely spot on. Tulathimutte's ability to inhabit various perspectives feels like some kind of sorcery. Allison is the worst version of myself I could imagine, but me none the less. This is a brutal, take no prisoners kind of read. A ride you will want to get off at many points - but I say read the book and thus lean into the discomfort and your role as voyeur cos this novel is worth it. Tony Tulathimutte has gone straight to the top of my 'bet he's fascinating to sit at a dinner table with in real life' list: his terrifying and terrifyingly astute mind has blown me away.

"The internet is millions of solitudes blinking in and out of existence, each dreaming the others, where consensus reality is less an agreed upon reality than a reality made of agreement. "

Content Warnings

mirandyli's review against another edition

4.25

dark funny tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Wow. This book will make you feel so uncomfortable in the best way. I was audibly gasping and physically retching during some parts. It’s on a bunch of “must-read” lists for a reason.

Content Warnings

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