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fionamclary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Like many readers, I had a hard time seeing how all four perspectives fit together. Often it felt like I was reading two to three different books. I think if all four characters had personal connections to each other, it would have worked much better. As it was, basically the only character that Louisa had any relation to was Karina. This made the different perspectives feel additionally disjointed. However, all characters went through satisfying development, whether for better or for worse. Preston, falling into the latter category, ended up being an interesting vehicle for exploring the intersection of art, capitalism, and the 2010s internet through a lens that captured both the 2011-2012 setting of the book and the hindsight that the author has 10 years later.
Speaking of the early 2010s...a small thing that bothered the heck out of me was the timeline of Preston's Tumblr. The book says that he started it shortly after his mother's death, which happened when he was 14. This would have been 7-8 years before the events of the book. Tumblr was launched in 2007, 4-5 years before the events of the book. I was surprised that a Millennial author would get this detail wrong—and she could have resolved it by saying that he started on another platform and then migrated to Tumblr, but no, it explicitly says that he started his Tumblr soon after his mom died. This bugged me way too much but I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to get right. Am I crazy??
I read this book in April 2024, as I'm watching encampments protesting the genocide in Gaza go up on university campuses across the country, so the Occupy setting of this book felt especially timely. I might recommend this book to anyone looking for parallels in their reading life to current events.
Anyway, I think this would be a solid read for the art girlies looking for something meditative and gay. Just don't expect it to be The queer academia of all time.
Graphic: Infidelity, Drug use, Classism, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cursing, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Suicide, Death, Dementia, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Lesbophobia, Bullying, Police brutality, Grief, and Homophobia
_jennaalbright_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, and Drug use
cdingler07's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent and Suicide
Minor: Classism, Death of parent, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, and Mental illness
random19379's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Rape, Classism, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicide, and Emotional abuse
hailspork's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
coffeecass's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Classism, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
raemow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Infidelity, Grief, Death, Alcohol, Drug use, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Classism, Blood, and Dementia
mothie_girlie's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Classism, and Biphobia
bookishsapphicshay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Classism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Suicide
exeuntomnes's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Sirens and Muses has the perfect atmosphere for a story set in the world of art.
The story follows four different points of view: Louisa, Karina, and Preston, all art students at an elite art school called Wrynn, and Robert, a sulky art professor. We accompany the students throughout their complicated relationships with each other and their dedicated art practices as everything slowly begins to tear apart around them.
This book was both appealing and thoughtful. I really enjoyed the exploration of art, power, youth, and class; it was truly a page-turner from the start. Angress explores each character's personality in a truly unique way and how they are able to relate to their peers and the world around them.
The way each story of the characters masterfully intertwine felt entirely real and fascinating.
This story deeply moved me. I can't truly explain why. I loved the flawed characters, the longing to create something worthwhile, and the messy relationships that truly despict what it is to be part of the art world, the sensitivity and the self-doubt that this entails.
To be honest, the only thing I could say I didn't like or enjoy as much as the rest of the book was that the ending felt a bit rushed, but it was exciting and lovely to be able to read those last passages, which ended the story on a beautiful bittersweet note.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Classism, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Vomit
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault