Reviews

The Divine Farce by Michael S. A. Graziano

tiffanykoenig's review

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.0

jnoeste's review

dark reflective 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? N/A

3.0

katygolden's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

3.0

sargasso_c's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.25

A wonderfully written meditation on if hell truly is “other people.”

ruthwik's review

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Thought provoking. A perfect allegory for human existence.

 I get what the author was trying to do, but leaving the mystery completely unsolved still irked me a tiny bit lol.

thebaronsasha's review

4.0

bruh

acanthae's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

pravia9's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

lycheejelly's review

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• 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? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Excrement, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

ninjalawyer's review

5.0

A truly bizarre and ugly book, which is all the more disturbing because it's designed to be an allegory for human existence.

The book starts with three people, naked and standing up in a concrete tube. From the ceiling drips pear juice to keep them alive and the floor is grated to get rid of their waste as it falls. Together in perfect darkness, the three grow to love each other, so much so that they almost don't take the opportunity to escape when it's presented (the fear of the unknown also plays into this).

Following the opening, Graziano paints creates a stark setting where the cruft of daily life is stripped away, and everyone spend their days (a seemingly endless number of them) wandering around naked in ankle-deep sewage, and fighting for the bare necessities of life while making their way through an incomprehensible labyrinth. No one communicates in the labyrinth and there's seemingly no escape, even for those who have given in to despair.

A very interesting book, although maybe not one you want for the beach or a rainy day.