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sofi9045's review
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Very fast read. It does involve a relationship with a minor and an older man, which is not necessarily my cup of tea. I chose to read this book because one of the reviews said it was the inverse of Lolita, although I don’t necessarily see this played out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
ramreadsagain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Swanna in Love is out in the UK on the 14th of March. Thank you to Dead Ink Press for giving me a copy.
I really hope this one gains some traction, but it'll be a controvertial one!
It is the early 80's; Swanna is 14 and has been practically abandoned by her mother and left to sleep in a truck while her mother enjoys her time at an artist's colony alongside her younger Russian lover. Her parents are getting divorced, and Swanna wants (a) an ice-cream sandwich and (b) to tell her school friends about romantic escapades at summer camp.
She meets Dennis, a married father, at a bowling alley, and enjoys the attention and being treated as an adult. She lies about her age, and she and Dennis very quickly begin an "affair" which does not end when he finds out how young she really is. This book is a Lolita from the girl's perspective, about adolescent desire and an examination of power dynamics and responsibility.
Swanna's narration is often hilarious and perfectly captures what it's like to be 14: the frustration aimed at parents, the desperate want for independence, and how addicting it can be to have attention from a man.
I truly devoured this book across a Sunday, and though it's wildly uncomfortable at times, I think it's an excellent coming-of-age and an examination of the "she was asking for it, she seduced him" narrative when it comes to older men seducing teenage girls.
I really hope this one gains some traction, but it'll be a controvertial one!
It is the early 80's; Swanna is 14 and has been practically abandoned by her mother and left to sleep in a truck while her mother enjoys her time at an artist's colony alongside her younger Russian lover. Her parents are getting divorced, and Swanna wants (a) an ice-cream sandwich and (b) to tell her school friends about romantic escapades at summer camp.
She meets Dennis, a married father, at a bowling alley, and enjoys the attention and being treated as an adult. She lies about her age, and she and Dennis very quickly begin an "affair" which does not end when he finds out how young she really is. This book is a Lolita from the girl's perspective, about adolescent desire and an examination of power dynamics and responsibility.
Swanna's narration is often hilarious and perfectly captures what it's like to be 14: the frustration aimed at parents, the desperate want for independence, and how addicting it can be to have attention from a man.
I truly devoured this book across a Sunday, and though it's wildly uncomfortable at times, I think it's an excellent coming-of-age and an examination of the "she was asking for it, she seduced him" narrative when it comes to older men seducing teenage girls.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol
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