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emily_mily's review against another edition
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
juliantamniewim's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
smokeyshouse's review against another edition
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I liked the voices that were represented, and also the glimpse into gay life behind the Iron Curtain and just after. However, the stories were repetitious, and the segments were so brief that there was no development of any character. It read more like a pastiche or montage of episodes. Preferred his other novel "Eleven Inch".
pollincowbell's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting dialogue regarding Queerness + Homosexual Identity in Poland During Communism and its tension between a Post-Communist "Emancipation" of queerness. The book is told in a reportage/epistolary nature from the perspective of multiple gay men, referred to as "queens" throughout the text. From time to time, this rapid fire shift makes the reader feel ungrounded as they float between narratives and experiences. It is often confusing and disorienting and made the novel hard to enjoy during some junctions.
However, what the book may be lacking in expository and narrative grace, it makes up for in it's impact. The reader is confronted with simultaneously gruesome yet often hilarious aspects of being Homosexual under Communist Regime. It brings light to a subculture often forgotten in Polish Communist history. The translator W. Martin's notes at the end of the book helped to flesh out the importance of Witkowski's novel. Many subtle nuances and "linguistic cross-dressings" were sadly lost in translation.
However, what the book may be lacking in expository and narrative grace, it makes up for in it's impact. The reader is confronted with simultaneously gruesome yet often hilarious aspects of being Homosexual under Communist Regime. It brings light to a subculture often forgotten in Polish Communist history. The translator W. Martin's notes at the end of the book helped to flesh out the importance of Witkowski's novel. Many subtle nuances and "linguistic cross-dressings" were sadly lost in translation.
greg_giannakis's review against another edition
4.0
Queer life in communist-era Poland at its most comic, banal and ugly.
lnab's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
iguana_mama's review against another edition
No rating. I tried this twice, and still can't get through it. Back to the library it goes.
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