Reviews

This Brutal House by Niven Govinden

_changingtime's review

5.0

Review available at https://bit.ly/2KZ1vh7

aagyaprdhn's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

dominiq_ec's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I think the format was interesting, but there wasn't a lot in terms of plot. If there was, the poetic format of the book made it hard to find. And there were little bits that made the book interesting, but not necessarily hooked me. I wouldn't say that it was a waste to read, but it didn't reach my expectations. 

gbatts's review

2.0

The sentences are stunningly written, which makes for great extracts in reviews. The struggle is that the writing on a whole is not captivating enough to make up for the lack of plot. It doesn’t help that Govinder has set large parts of the novel from an outsider’s perspective, which effectively is the perspective of the most boring character who is almost entirely removed from the central action in the story.

I’m not entirely sure that this novel would appeal to anyone who hadn’t seen Paris Is Burning and the question then is why anyone would be interested in a story that is so much less in every way.

cocopopsmonkey's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I enjoyed it, I enjoyed that I didn't LOVE all the characters but still cared about them. Very very difficult read-- not because of the topic, but because it was, at times, overly complicated prose, perhaps in attempting to emulate the likes of Baldwin

wwwilma's review against another edition

2.0

Började så bra, sen kändes den tyvärr mest bökig. Men blev sugen på att se om både Paris is Burning och Pose nu, och det är ju härligt

megansoetaert's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

i highlighted so many quotes in this book 😭 it was a very human account into queer community (specifically in the ball community of NYC), protest & bureaucracy, and what family means/what you owe to your family. 

i liked the variety of storytelling, but Teddy’s chapters were my favorite. it was so slow-paced for being so short though 😭

nousername1's review

2.0

ambitious but, despite some shining moments, overwritten & failed by its focus on form

egrant8's review

4.0

I really liked it but I felt like some of the dialogue was very unrealistic and basically was there to make a point.

connorgirvan's review

5.0

4.5 / 5 stars

Really enjoyed this book - glad I picked up another Govinden. Didn't enjoy it AS much as Diary of a Film but I think it was more the subject matter was heavier/it was a protest novel so not meant to be as 'enjoyable'. Nonetheless, still a very very good book!

Story is a mix of narratives from the Mothers who protest outside city hall after their children continually go missing and their cases aren't properly investigated by the City and Teddy who is one of their children that works at City Hall acting as a middleman between the Mothers and the City.

Favourite scene of the whole book was when Teddy entered Chanel store to look at things to buy Sherry even though he couldn't afford it.