Reviews

Last Words from Montmartre by Qiu Miaojin

year23's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This is a difficult book to review, especially given the circumstances of the author's state as they wrote this and what they did just a week after finishing. 

The translator's post-script is helpful in providing a bit more context and insight into how Qiu changed Taiwanese culture - for the better - due to her creative works and unapologetic identity as a lesbian. 

The word that kept coming to mind as I read was contradictory - and I think this is true of being in your mid-20s, particularly if you are someone who is highly sensitive, genius level creative, and feel things deeply. It's suffocating, repetitive, and at times profound, while also being extremely obsessive & lacking any amount of self-awareness. Zoe sees themselves (in the text) as god-like - no faults, knowing all, seeing all, while at the same time is the ultimate victim of the worst crimes, confused (and yet not confused) over how things have gotten to this point. There are only a few moments that peek through these reflections, hinting at what actually happened. 

I'm not sure who I would recommend this too - it's an important text in terms of queer history & social movements, and for that alone I do think it's a worthwhile read.  

genesisreads's review

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

kimberlyds's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

polarbear2023's review

I get why ppl like it but it'd jusy not doing it for me SHES jusy pathetic and trying to be intellectual 

courtenaywrites's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

If you don’t feel with your entire being, this book will merely graze you. 

faithelizabetha's review

5.0

i kept crying while reading this 

amandabw425's review

challenging reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

snaillydia's review

It won't be a great work of art, but it could be a book of true purity; the detailed, thorough excavation of one very small field of a young person's life.

I will not be rating a suicide note.

kylaoren's review

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

shorshewitch's review

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Homophobia