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audaciaray's review against another edition
1.0
I really did not enjoy this book. That said, it is really "good" if you appreciate existential nihilism.
(I'm giving the book one start to counter David's 5 stars. It could really be either. Does it matter?)
(I'm giving the book one start to counter David's 5 stars. It could really be either. Does it matter?)
simonfay's review against another edition
4.0
Hayley Joel Osmond is a twenty-something writer. Dakota Fanning is his teenage girlfriend. They like to shoplift. They joke about suicide. They’re not quite connected to the world around them and the world doesn’t care all that much about them either. The power in their abundantly fucked up relationship is in Dakota Fanning’s hands, but as their romantic future is put in jeopardy, we’re gradually introduced to each of their mental problems... Dakota Fanning develops an eating disorder and Hayley Joel Osmond’s relentless need to micromanage everything Dakota thinks, feels and says, comes to the fore.
At the outset, it’s difficult to sympathise with Hayley.
He’s an older man who shouldn't be dating a kid. The only way to describe his behaviour is as mentally abusive, but he doesn't act the way he does for a masochistic thrill, rather, he has a compulsion to demand perfection from a partner who will never be able to achieve it, no more than she can bring herself to leave him. Ultimately, the dynamic that Tao Lin so deftly illustrates is one akin to a doped up couple unconsciously picking at each other's scabs.
I can relate.
I’ve had friends go through bad periods. I’ve been in a position to give them advice on a daily basis. At first, I'd offer it empathetically. Then, when the advice wasn’t taken, it would become more cursory. There were times when I shouted because I thought that that’s what was needed to make them understand. And when I felt bad for being too hard on them, there was a little voice in my head that said they only had themselves to blame.
I didn’t realise how vindictive that voice was until I got into the thick of Richard Yates.
There is a lot to read about Tao Lin when you decide to Google his name: Many people think that he’s an asshole. It’s commonly believed that this book is based on his own experience of being the bully in a relationship, and that the Gmail chats which feature prominently throughout the story are copied and pasted from actual accounts of the time.
Unfortunately, I don’t find the accusations hard to believe, so I'm of two minds as to whether I should praise the work of a possible abuser.
Nevertheless, I am grateful to have learned something about myself through his limpid portrayal of love gone wrong. As for my recommendation, even though the page count is small, the text is large and the margins are generous, I wouldn’t blame anybody for giving up on the story early on. But as many in the review section will attest, the dark, sadly relatable neurosis of the characters and the bleak honesty with which they're written make for a hypnotic read.
At the outset, it’s difficult to sympathise with Hayley.
He’s an older man who shouldn't be dating a kid. The only way to describe his behaviour is as mentally abusive, but he doesn't act the way he does for a masochistic thrill, rather, he has a compulsion to demand perfection from a partner who will never be able to achieve it, no more than she can bring herself to leave him. Ultimately, the dynamic that Tao Lin so deftly illustrates is one akin to a doped up couple unconsciously picking at each other's scabs.
I can relate.
I’ve had friends go through bad periods. I’ve been in a position to give them advice on a daily basis. At first, I'd offer it empathetically. Then, when the advice wasn’t taken, it would become more cursory. There were times when I shouted because I thought that that’s what was needed to make them understand. And when I felt bad for being too hard on them, there was a little voice in my head that said they only had themselves to blame.
I didn’t realise how vindictive that voice was until I got into the thick of Richard Yates.
There is a lot to read about Tao Lin when you decide to Google his name: Many people think that he’s an asshole. It’s commonly believed that this book is based on his own experience of being the bully in a relationship, and that the Gmail chats which feature prominently throughout the story are copied and pasted from actual accounts of the time.
Unfortunately, I don’t find the accusations hard to believe, so I'm of two minds as to whether I should praise the work of a possible abuser.
Nevertheless, I am grateful to have learned something about myself through his limpid portrayal of love gone wrong. As for my recommendation, even though the page count is small, the text is large and the margins are generous, I wouldn’t blame anybody for giving up on the story early on. But as many in the review section will attest, the dark, sadly relatable neurosis of the characters and the bleak honesty with which they're written make for a hypnotic read.
katyan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
0.25
heather425's review against another edition
1.0
I did not like this book. Reading the names of Dakota Fanning and Haley Joel Osment every.single.time. they were talked about was too much for me. And the book had no point. I hated Haley by the end of it. I didn't like Dakota either. Haley was completely controlling and Dakota had so many issues that no one was addressing. The mom was not a mom to her. I only kept reading this book because I was hoping it got better with time. It did not. This was one of the worst books I've read in awhile.
2001astaceodyssey's review against another edition
4.0
At first I wasn't sure what to make of Tao Lin. The almost child like simplicity of his sentence structure, his purposeful repetition of exactly the same wording in one sentence immediately after another, and his omission of most sensory details left me sort of... baffled. I thought a lot about it and often when the book wasn't even in my hands. Who was this guy? How on purpose is his style? Is the story about him? Is it just playing dress up with a well known name? And whats the deal with those anyway?
Now having finished the book, and despite having very few to none of the above questions answered, I've been pleasantly surprised with the experience of reading this novel. The simplicity of it is deceptive, the sparse prose bringing a bit of rambling to my own inner monologue. I am now very of the opinion that Mr. Lin knows exactly what he's doing, and he does it very well.
Now having finished the book, and despite having very few to none of the above questions answered, I've been pleasantly surprised with the experience of reading this novel. The simplicity of it is deceptive, the sparse prose bringing a bit of rambling to my own inner monologue. I am now very of the opinion that Mr. Lin knows exactly what he's doing, and he does it very well.
dexterw's review against another edition
funny
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Self harm
wildpaleyonder's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5