Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Ghost Lover: Stories

Lisa Taddeo’s writing is so unique, succinct and impactful. I reread sentences multiple times just to keep chewing on them because I like the taste. She’s relentless.

Women are always the focus of her writing, and through various women’s experiences, she uncovers the darkest pieces of living in society as a woman—the fatphobia, blatant misogyny and stereotypes can be a lot to get through. But isn’t that the reality? It’s through these unlikablw characters thoughts that’s we get to unpack the filth and darkest sides of humanity. Definite trigger warnings though.

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ashleighbonica's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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travelseatsreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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

2.0

I absolutely head over heels loved Animal so I jumped at the chance to read Ghost Lover. Unfortunately, while I still adored Lisa Taddeo's prose and writing style I just couldn't connect with any of these short stories and it just didn't do anything for me. Without a doubt she is an outstanding artist who has the innate ability of weaving some gritty and raw narratives, I just wish for Ghost Lover she moved away from the rich privileged white female.

9 individual stories told in Taddeo's sharp, unrelenting and gritty style, evocative but just not gripping.

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berksah's review

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3.75

Some good stories, but all of the stories had women who hated themselves. A lot of mention of suicidal thoughts and disordered eating or body dysmorphia.

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foundeasily's review

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dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

The prose is lively and the stories well plotted for what they are. I would hardly say she isn't a good writer. That said... the class character and overall feel of the book were off-putting.

I enjoy a book or story with an unlikable protagonist but it's a lot harder when the writer seems to loathe them, as well. And the dislike seems to come from a moralizing and loaded point of view of the author.

The collection beginning with a story built around a false or (at least grey area) rape accusation, with shallowly inflected revenge motivation put a very bad taste in my mouth. Not only including a story built around it but leading off with it and naming the collection after it is a politically and morally loaded choice.

I continued on and hoped it was an aberration. I really enjoyed, for instance, Detransition Baby, which initially I felt awkward about for it's centering of detransition but came to see it as a complex and thoughtful choice. Taddeo instead continued with a series of stories built around what she seems to see as shallow, lonely and secretly pathetic women. Few, if any, round out around these qualities into fully realized complex characters. There feels like there is a self loathing, grafted onto each character.

I haven't read her novels and I could imagine a version of these types that more fully fleshed out accomplishes more and better. However, within the short story form, these fail to inspire me, outside of good prose style, occasional small insights and turns of phrase.

There was one or two stories I liked well enough and fell into the same traps a little less or at least somewhat transcended them. But overall, this was a frustrating read.

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escharlton's review against another edition

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4.5

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