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aliclare's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Addiction, Alcoholism, Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Abortion, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Mass/school shootings, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Child death, Torture, Excrement, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Cannibalism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic friendship
Extreme violence.shane_sheridan's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Homophobia, Murder, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Stalking, Blood, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Torture, and Gaslighting
michaelion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
A book is bad when I have to question what purpose it served humanity. I am a person who fundamentally believes that all art can be made with no reason or goal in mind; art for art's sake; art because the person who made it felt something, felt they had to get it out, felt they had something to share with the world. I read this book because I wanted to watch the movie, yes I'm that kind of person, and I wish I could unread it. What purpose did this book serve to the greater good of humanity? Fuck the greater good, what contribution to humanity does this book give? It has no analysis, no deeper introspection into the era, the mindset of the people. There's no meat on the bone that is this book.
It has its moments and its beauty, for sure. I love the stream of consciousness and unreliable narration, I love the speaking to the audience, the break rom reality and seeing things in the perspective of a movie, sure. Those elements are great. But as a whole? I never question why art is made. There's art I like and art I don't like. It's easy for me to spot art I like, It's easy for me to spot art I don't like, and there are definitely things that lie in a middle grey area, but for all three of those things I almost never question why it was made. It's an inherently fascist idea to say art should have a purpose else it is a waste of time or attention but this is one of the few exceptions I've encountered. The movie better be good after the shit I just read.
And to be clear, I'm not just mad at the content of the book. It was very upsetting sure, but
I tried to find it in my heart to give it a higher rating, I really did, but I can't lie to my future self who will reread this review and go "damn, the book was that bad?" Hi, future self. To answer your question: No. The book was much worse.
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Homophobia, Torture, Misogyny, Sexism, Body horror, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Animal death, Addiction, Child death, Hate crime, Racism, Animal cruelty, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Ableism, Death, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Drug use, Blood, Classism, Gore, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Vomit, Antisemitism, Bullying, Confinement, Pandemic/Epidemic, Drug abuse, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Child abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Abortion
downcircles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Cannibalism, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Torture, Drug use, and Gore
jayvdw's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.5
First off, the book is very slow, especially in the beginning. It fits the theme and sets the book's tone, but it doesn't read nicely. The book has some big themes and criticisms about 1980s America, which is very interesting and insightful. Patricks focus on clothing, brand, music and materialism really sets a mood whilst reading and depth to the characters. BUT IT'S FUCKING BORING. Personally, I skipped most of these, the long lists, I understand why they are there and that Bret intentionally puts them in the book to be boring and bore the reader.
The book is super super gross and not at all for the faint of heart. The book goes into detail about the murders and sex. It is very unsettling and I sometimes strayed away from reading for a few hours after certain chapters.
My favorite part of the book is clearly a few chapters near the end.
Overall, I think this book is very interesting and learnful. Even in the modern day a lot of the themes are still present or even worse. The book is however a very boring read or very gross most of the time, due to this I gave it a low rating, simply because I did not enjoy reading it for most of the book, I also feel like the book could have been half the size. The ending was a let down in my opinion and a bit too vague. It would have been better if the ending focussed more on the trustworthiness of Patrick.
Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, Alcohol, Body horror, Infidelity, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Bullying, Cannibalism, Grief, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Child death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
This book is gross and very very explicit with sex, murder, rape and torture. Not only to men and women, but also animals and children.schlong01's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.5
It's a wonderful critique of businessman and capitalism in general with very many details woven into it. But those details often become dreadful as a whole chapter can be just Patrick's opinion on a newly released album or the things he bought yesterday. Although the author is a genius at writing in great detail, this often becomes his downfall, as he does not seem to know when to use said detailism.
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Child death, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Medical content, Misogyny, Violence, Animal death, Cursing, Rape, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Antisemitism, Bullying, Gore, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death, Gun violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Classism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexism, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse
lish_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Blood, Homophobia, Vomit, Alcoholism, Sexism, Cannibalism, Addiction, Racism, Sexual violence, Rape, Toxic relationship, Murder, Drug abuse, Gore, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Animal death, Pedophilia, Classism, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abortion
ashlynregan's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Ableism, Gore, Torture, Racial slurs, Animal death, Cursing, Infidelity, Blood, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Gun violence, Murder, Death, Drug use, Sexual violence, Classism, Excrement, Toxic friendship, Child death, Rape, Violence, Homophobia, and Racism
autumnwhite's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Violence, Torture, Stalking, Misogyny, Mental illness, Body horror, Death, Sexual content, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Abortion, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, Homophobia, Hate crime, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Gun violence
icepulsar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Classism, Transphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Death, Alcohol, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Vomit, Xenophobia, Biphobia, Blood, Body horror, Homophobia, Addiction, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence