Reviews

The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong

anaiira's review against another edition

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dark sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I've read Kevin Chong's other book (The Plague) and I found it rather self-impressed and tedious. Thankfully, this book isn't quite like that, but there is this strain of striving for literary impressiveness that feels like a hallmark of his writing style and it's frustrating to read through and try to parse. In this book though, it works somewhat well with the struggles and frustrations of the narrator/author because (unlike in The Plague), it follows the narrator's inner tension. It's like a fragile shield from criticism, a paper thin excuse to avoid confrontation, like watching a punch coming straight towards you and flinching at the last second.

It's the most compelling aspect for me, I suppose, this tension and dichotomy of wanting to be tough and resilient, and also this strain and desire towards acceptance and hope that it's okay to be softer. It feels authentic in its inauthenticity, in its construction of a mask that is recognizable as the attempt at a mask.

The story structure kind of lost its plot at some point. It successfully conveys a stream of consciousness kind of writing, a meta/self-aware of our the writer's intrusion into the story, of a projection into the "truth" or reality of the story. I think it deals very successfully the complex navigation of the sensitive topic of
child sexual abuse. Even while trying to talk about it, even while trying to confront it head on, the narrator is simultaneously trying to minimize it, to protect himself and his alter ego, to rewrite his own memories so that it's not as intense and present and damaging.
I think there's a version of this story that does something a little bit braver, it feels like the ending pulls its punches in some way, but I suppose that is in the intent of the book, that the truthful story isn't a satisfying ending, and that life is sort of an endless negotiation between the realities of the present and how they are affected by the demons of the past.
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jochaatuu's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

idesofmarch's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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lolajoan's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow, it's no wonder this had so many accolades. It's gripping and heartwrenching and so incredibly sad but also one of the most fascination narrative structures I've read in a long time. Time, causality, and free will are deeply questioned in this complex metafiction. Absolutely amazing.

whatcassiedid's review against another edition

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I gotta start reading plot summaries more closely

booksnacks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-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

3.0

pentlacj's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ggward24's review against another edition

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tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

whipson's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

elineedsmoreshelves's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very capital-L Literary, this work of metafiction has some fantastic writing and highly complex plot layering that made the reading experience confusing and also exciting. I admit that i am not 100% sure I followed every path the narrative took - at some point I definitely just gave up trying to figure it out and went with it. Would be a great book for a college class or serious book club - lots and lots to discuss. (Giller Prize shortlist 2023)