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grantsharpies's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Suicide, Violence, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, and Drug use
grboph's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm not entirely sure of how to react to this book. I found it quite engaging and enjoyed almost every second I spent reading it, but there was an air of surreality around the entire thing (which I've never been the hugest fan of, but that comes more down to personal preference than anything else). I think the story was fascinating and unique, and I really liked the character of Oedipa - I wish we had gotten inside her head a bit more before the last ten or twenty pages of the book, though. I will also enjoy thinking about all the possibilities for things that could have happened after the ending because boy howdy, are there a lot of them. One last thought I have is that the overall plot and many of the characters Oedipa runs across make for a very interesting social commentary now and that it would have been even more relevant in the sixties when the book was first published than it is now (and it feels pretty relevant now) - I almost wish I knew more about that period in US history so I would be able to better understand it. All in all, I enjoyed reading this book (although I'm usually not very into surrealist books like this) and I would recommend it for anybody who is into conspiracy theories or anything satirical.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Infidelity, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Child death, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Antisemitism, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Pregnancy, and Violence
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