Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer

18 reviews

hedgielib's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, and Alcohol

dinocraniac's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad medium-paced

4.0

Book with a topic made for me! Separating the art from the artist has always been such a struggle for me. Dederer's book was so captivating and most of the time I didn't want to stop reading. However, there were parts that were incredibly uncomfy to read. Such a jarring and horrifying opening to the book. Like actually an insane way to open a book. And the whole chapter about Lolita. Ending was a bit weak as well, at least the second to last chapter. Throughout the book it annoyed me how she kept saying "we", only to be like "not we, I". She would correct herself and then keep doing it like please get your shit together. But anyway. Overall a really good book, highly reccomend.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Suicide, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse

erika_winters's review

challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

This was a really insightful book of essays containing cultural critiques while combining Dederer’s personal experiences and views. A major question she tackles throughout the essays (which delve into Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, Pablo Picasso, Doris Lessing, Joni Mitchell, etc.) is: can we still love art created by monstrous people? This is something that Dederer personally grapples with throughout and has a bunch of mixed emotions about; but we all do, really. The only reason this didn’t get a perfect 5 star rating is because I felt like some essays were lacking in some way; I am greedy and wanted more discussion or more details about people I didn’t know about before reading the essays, such as Ana Mendieta, a feminist sculptor and painter, who died tragically from what Dederer believes to be a domestic violence situation. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

Discusses extremely disgusting behavior by some of the worst sexual predators in the art, film, and music worlds. Proceed with caution if you are wary of these topics.

emily_mae08's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Abandonment, Misogyny, Grief, and Violence

hduc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book deals with monstrous people. Of course there will be disturbing stories. But fear not, take one or two pages at a time. You would come out of this book a heart lighter.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Pedophilia, Self harm, Child abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, War, Violence, Sexism, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Genocide, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse

princessjane's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

larajgriff1's review

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

3.0

Unfortunately my expectations and hopes for this book were vastly different than what I experienced.  I wanted a more broad view of how "monstrous" artists affect their fandom and what the group as a whole or individually moves forward.  This book is much more personal to the writer and more of a memoir of her life and how she relates to different artists than the effect of their actions on the world.  

However, I cannot fault the author for the book not being what I hoped.  It is written very well and does make some good points about how these moments and artists affect us.  Though in the middle of the book she seems to be "existential crisis-ing" in circles and it doesn't feel like there is momentum again until the last few chapters.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, Sexual violence, Suicide, Racism, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abortion, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Rape, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

this is a book about people who do terrible things. It is hard to avoid anything, but I did skip a full chapter because I was so uncomfortable with the crimes of an artist.

emilyeverly's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Suicide, Rape, and Sexual violence

kchamp's review against another edition

5.0

Brilliant. Once I got into it I couldn’t help but devour this book. It is uncomfortable and honest and thought-provoking and so, so intelligent.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, and Misogyny

introvertsbookclub's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

4.5

Addresses the question we have all been debating – what to do with the geniuses who create great art, but who are violent, sexist or racist in their personal lives.

From who is considered a genius (spoiler, men) to the value of cancel culture, this book takes unexpected turns but is more satisfying for it. It is brimming with an infectious love of books and films and music, and a breadth of knowledge on these subjects that makes reading it an immersive experience and counter-balances the darker stories.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual violence and Racism