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bookgirllife's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What I have decided upon reading this book is that Eve Babitz is a cool girl. My god, what a witty and exuberant writer she made. Her character and humour shine through her prose. This was my first introduction to Babitz and I was surprised by how modern the stories were. Not sure if that's Babitz's credit or society's failure, but in either case, her work is very captivating. I loved her conversational tone. Reading Black Swans made me feel like I was listening to a friend tell me stories about what they got up to throughout different stages of their life.
One of the first standout pieces for me was ‘Free Tibet.’ I hadn’t put this book down until I reached the end of ‘Free Tibet’ and needed some time to sit with it. The way that story made me feel was something else altogether. Babitz induced a whole spectrum of emotion from the lightheartedness of the main character to the devastating ending. Every now and then you come across a story that makes you evaluate your own life and I think that's what makes for excellent art. My other favourites were 'Coco' and 'Black Swans'. These are both stories of troubled relationships and bad habits. The prose in 'Black Swans' was my favourite of the collection.
The only critique I have is the very out-of-touch and flippant commentary on the LA riots. The way she tackles this lacks tact.
That said, I will be returning to Babitz soon. I enjoyed her writing and storytelling, and I want to read more from her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Death, and Police brutality
Minor: Eating disorder
kangaci's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Addiction, Car accident, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
homewithyou's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eve babitz writes like if joan didion’s favourite song on folklore was the last great american dynasty and i’m obsessed. my favourite stories were expensive regrets and black swans!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Drug use
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