Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez

25 reviews

eliseelk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Terminal illness, Outing, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual violence

snarkycrafter's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow! What a book. It's so beautifully and incredibly written. The story is nuanced, and layered, and deep. It touches on the female experience, specifically the Latina female experience who take up space in predominately white spaces. I had a difficult time making it through the book. Not because it was bad, but because it was hitting some hard truths for me that were enraging, sad, and overall difficult to process. 

I absolutely loved Anita's character. So strong and powerful. So sassy. So confident in herself and her art. I enjoyed seeing Raquel's growth. Her journey resonated with me. It was frustrating and made me so angry to see her settling for crumbs and being made to feel "less than". Seeing her seek validation from outside herself. It hurt to read a story that reflected a lot of my own experiences during college and spending time in white spaces feeling like the odd one out, and like I should feel grateful for merely being there.
 

There's the feminist POV. A woman sacrificing herself to uplift her male partner. Her partner who the world assumes is more successful than you. Like people reading "Dr." and assuming the person is male. The man's feeling of entitlement. Entitlement to her time, her body, her affection. The assumption that "he knows best" or that his dreams and desires are more important than hers. And her, willing to disappear herself, make herself small (literally, TW: ED) just to fit into his life. 

And finally, the spaces. Elevating men and their work to the detriment of women in the field. And this erasure being perpetrated by fellow women! Who gets to have a legacy? Who dictates who that is? 

 

This was such a good read! Painful and enraging at times, but so, so worth it! Honestly, there was more than once I wanted to "burn the whole b*tch down!" 

 

Specific notes: 

• Anita was so friggin' sassy and I loved it so much! 
• Jack wanted all the control and power in the dynamic. He can leave when he wants, if he wants. But him? He cannot be “leavable.” She cannot leave him.
• He's the typical needy, mediocre white man who needs his own personal cheerleader at all times. He needs his ego constantly fed.
• On top of everything he needs to be her hero. He needs to be her comforter and soother. He needs to be needed. 
• Margot and Claire's entitlement and racism is fricking enraging! The only way a woman of color con obtain a position over them is a result of affirmative action? Please!! Ugh. This section had me screaming in rage.
• Anita's first show in New York is followed by a panel called "How women's art practices have affected male artists social attitudes." Not only was Anita not on the panel but there were NO women on the panel.
• Nick getting Raquel tummy control party hose had me seeing red.
• Narcissists will always accuse you of being the narcissist.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual content

annamay1021's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Murder

kaneebli's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia, Excrement, and Lesbophobia

princessfabulous's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Murder

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Misogyny

katiebugdpm's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

0.25

as well written and engaging as this book is, it is deeply uncomfortable to read. while I understand this book sets out to tackle some heavy topics, there were times when it felt slimy, the way she wrote. what made it worse was the utter lack of care the author has for the subject. 
Anita de Monte is based off a real life artist named Ana Mendieta- a women mentioned only vaguely in the dedication (just called 'Ana'). Ana Mendieta was a Cuban artist with (essentially) the same life as the fictional Anita, who has a living family that has spoken out regarding her treatment in the book. Like Anita, Ana Mendieta was murdered by her artist husband, also thrown out of a 34th story window. A husband who was also aquitted. Had this book not been as disrespectful and exploitative towards Ana and her family, it would have earned 2 or 2.5 stars (due to how uncomfortable it was to read, and how excessive some of the misogyny/DV/racism was). For more information about Ana, here is an article that can be found in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/02/style/ana-mendieta-family-estate.html

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Racism

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Homophobia

amberlfaris's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

this book was going to be 4-5 stars until i looked into this book further and found out that it is almost an exact replication of someone’s real life whose family doesn’t approve of this book. the author does exactly what was done to her main character to the real person. there is so much irony here

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

meg_merr's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Eating disorder

cseguiharris's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment