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froglore's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
an interesting premise and the thrill of a crime novel couldn’t save this book’s uncomfortable mix of casual racism + homophobia, liberal use of slurs, unnecessary sexualisation, general “r/MenWritingWomen” bullshittery, weird obsession with cambridge uni for some reason, and a strange underlying incel vibe through it all.
i get that it’s written in a different time and sets out to discuss various philosophies that i’m not very well versed in, but this was so difficult to read because it simply was not enjoyable on its own to a philosophical layman. it relies too much on other texts to give itself a sense of depth. i generally try not to apply my own values onto texts that i’m reading for class (as i am for this one) before doing any serious analysis, because authorial voice/agency is important, yes i get that, but boy is phillip kerr’s authorial voice so incredibly white, male, and cishet that it makes me want to tear my hair out.
also, from a technical standpoint, the character development is so inconsistent and the plot holes simply stretch to the edge of belief. jake, straightlaced “man-hater” she is, somehow evolves an attraction to wittgenstein? there are literally no cctv cameras in a museum full of priceless art for some reason? you strip butt naked to go to whatever the hell neo-existential therapy is? come on now
i get that it’s written in a different time and sets out to discuss various philosophies that i’m not very well versed in, but this was so difficult to read because it simply was not enjoyable on its own to a philosophical layman. it relies too much on other texts to give itself a sense of depth. i generally try not to apply my own values onto texts that i’m reading for class (as i am for this one) before doing any serious analysis, because authorial voice/agency is important, yes i get that, but boy is phillip kerr’s authorial voice so incredibly white, male, and cishet that it makes me want to tear my hair out.
also, from a technical standpoint, the character development is so inconsistent and the plot holes simply stretch to the edge of belief. jake, straightlaced “man-hater” she is, somehow evolves an attraction to wittgenstein? there are literally no cctv cameras in a museum full of priceless art for some reason? you strip butt naked to go to whatever the hell neo-existential therapy is? come on now
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Antisemitism, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
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