Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

2 reviews

emsim's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-paced

3.75

Still not sure what I read...Some wild sh*t happened.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

readingwithcoffee's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

The book is incredibly superficial and predictable with a central argument that’s pretty ludicrous
towards the end it has An argument that authors only have one great work in them that’s just complete nonsense for actual well read authors to entertain given how many others such as James baldwin, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Isabela Allende and more have written so many great books. This and how it doesn’t actually challenge the idea that great art comes from tragedy and instead seems to agree with it is silly. The cast is diverse ethnic wise with a Jewish protagonist, British, Russian and Hungarian characters and entirely female cast except for very minor male characters but the Russian and southern woman are complete stereotypes. And as another reviews noted the only queer women comfortable with their sexuality are murderous psychopath that are obsessive that feels like a bad stereotype alongside the indecisive and anxious bi-curious rivals that are uncomfortable with their sexuality there entire book despite wrestling with that also being a clear theme
 

The main protagonist despite being thirty has a maturity of teenage girl and never seems to take almost maiming even if accidentally another author so she can’t write seriously but we’re expected to treat being ghosted by a friend as remotely a similar grievance especially as she imagines the woman as horrible friend any way but feels entitled to the woman never ending the friendship on terms different from the protagonist. It’s incredibly immature that we’re expected to both sides. Also the only black woman is constantly stereotyped and feels like she’s there to be the clan and collected characters and constantly associated with Africa, and slavery from lion necklace to someone who’s family is from Senegal saying her family came over the trans Atlantic slave trade when that’s African Americans. I genuinely think the majority of her on screen dialogue had the book discussing her in association with Africa or slavery more then anything else or having her awkwardly accuse the other white women reducing her to angry black woman that instead of critiquing racism in white liberal spaces felt the non black author feeling incredibly self conscious about her own black character and almost entirely white cast. 

Also I’ve enjoyed books within books before but while the one here is related to the events in the book it reads like bad historical fiction. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...