Reviews

Matrix by Lauren Groff

ren_igmatic's review against another edition

reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

3.25

brisingr's review against another edition

2.0

No one is more disappointed by this rating than me, believe me :(

books_by_the_sea's review against another edition

5.0

Quietly beautiful… I think this one will stay with me for a long time.

lilystinylibrary's review against another edition

I just couldn't get into it. Very slow, too many characters to keep track of.

lidancet's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

gwenswoons's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

A little hard to rate a book like this, which is objectively magnificent in the writing, masterful in every way, but which I didn’t actually enjoy reading. I’m in awe of Lauren Groff, to be sure — I buy absolutely everything, but this is actually only my second time reading a book of hers. The emotional difference between this and Fates and Furies (a real favorite of mine) is so enormous, but so too are the character differences, the sense of place and time, the entire pace and identity of the storytelling. Matrix is spectacularly executed but was just a hard/slow read for me in the intense ancient religious setting (though it’s not, of course, a book that places religion on a pedestal — Groff is too deeply an analyst and an intellectual for that), even though the characters are vivid and flawed and interesting. I think this book is totally remarkable for the writing itself, but that I’m not ultimately its best reader.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism

bewisner's review against another edition

4.0

3.5 ⭐️

There’s no doubt that Groff is a beautiful writer and a wonderful storyteller. This book follows a nun through her life and touches on some really interesting topics such as patriarchy within the church, environmental destruction and control in the name of god, and human sexuality.

That being said, I really liked that I finished the book not the book itself. It’s not a bad book I just don’t think Geoff’s books are for me. Her books always take me months and months (they’re slow in a non-slow burn type of way) to read because it always feels like a chore to pick up. I’m glad I read it and that I’m done with it but I wouldn’t recommend this book to a friend.

Also…can someone tell me the time period this book is supposed to take place in? Because that had me lost but I know that’s on me. I’m also not going to research it so someone please let me know.

fionuhhh's review against another edition

1.0

Hated this don’t know why I made myself finish it.  Probably just “something about it I’m not getting intellectually!”

itsbecksmidwest's review against another edition

challenging hopeful medium-paced

• 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

4.5

spiderpirate's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.5