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atlastheninth's review
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wafflelily's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
bravesirtoaster's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
magenta_menace's review
4.75
visceral, rich, and otherworldly, this book explores liminality, humanity, and relationships in a way i didn’t think possible. the blending of postmodernist literary methods and science fiction plot vessels make for a swirling world of uncertainty, ero-guro-esque sexuality, and bodily turmoil. the small segments makes it easier to digest the incredibly power-packing content. while many elements of the text were outright disturbing and bordering on trigger material for me personally, the vulnerability, aesthetic prose, and tenderness with which it was written made up for it. 100% not for the faint of heart but definitely a thought-provoking, conversation starting read.
silkyzacuto's review
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
undermeyou's review
Soooooo....what? I have no idea what I’m reading. I gave up. I don’t even remember the last time I gave up on a book. I knew from the description that this was probably very much bizarro and that most likely disgusting with body horror. None of that is the issue. The problem is that this seems like some sort of inside joke that even with all of the extraneous details leaves me lost. I didn’t rate this because while the writing was fun and I loved the footnotes idea, I honestly had no idea what was happening. I tried to make it through to the point where I’d get some romance in hopes that maybe the narrative would make more sense, but I didn’t make it that far. I think maybe if I could sit down and talk to the author, it would be revelatory, and I would be like omg this is so fun and crazy and sad and sweet. But without that background...i feel it’s better to leave this unrated.
thewarmvoid's review
5.0
This is some of the most incredible literature ive ever read. I love trans people. I love trans women. This is a love letter to everything transfeminine existence gives to the world. I am so full of love and feeling. I have never read transfeminine bodies written so beautifully and clearly. I fell in love 30 times over reading this. Thank you Porpentine.
fionaapplefan's review
5.0
“We broken girls build ourselves piece by piece, so we have a better chance than anyone of seeing truly. If the sight doesn’t obliterate us, make us crazy and unloveable.”
hsienhsien27's review
4.0
I’m a huge fan of Porpentine’s text games, her punch-you-in-the-face, body horror, css short stories but also her poignant, clammy handed, warming vignettes; because loneliness is powerful and a shared experience everywhere. Psycho Nymph Exile was a novella that was released last year and I was highly anticipating it because I love Porp’s prose so much and I wanted to know what it would be like without the interactivity.
Interactive Fiction is a genre of writing that requires a certain writing style that widely differs from traditional fiction. However with this novella, she doesn’t completely rid her writing of that, she places footnotes containing one or two sentences, adding a little something more in the background, usually micro poems and descriptions for places and individuals, human or not. Which is similar to what she does in her games when you click on certain hyperlinks. Play Vesp if you want to know what I’m talking about.
I can’t really say I enjoyed this novel as much as I thought I would. And I hate to say it. The writing was solid, clean cut, and oozing with green goo, erotica, and gore, much like her twine games. But something felt missing. It didn’t feel the same. And it’s not that I expected it to be exactly the same as her IF, but rather the novella just felt disorienting? Usually Porp’s stories are, but this felt disorienting in the sense that I had no idea what was going on and things felt unexplained, the world building occurred but so minimally that I couldn’t really draw it out in my mind. Also there was constant perspective switching from third to first. I somehow missed out on who is the “I” narrator. I’m not really sure if my difficulty consuming this novel is my fault – in the sense that I wasn’t paying attention or had reading burnout – or if the writing style truly just wasn’t for me. This novella felt similar to a lot of the super duper cyberpunk novels that were released back in the 80s and 90s, with all of its mechanical jargon and futuristic surrealism. Maybe it’s because I’m not that familiar with the genre? I love everything Porpentine touches, but I didn’t dig this novella as much as I thought I would.
Try it if you like: Cyberpunk, erotic fiction, slime, poetry, metafiction.
Rating: 3.5/5
Crosspost from Across From Here
Interactive Fiction is a genre of writing that requires a certain writing style that widely differs from traditional fiction. However with this novella, she doesn’t completely rid her writing of that, she places footnotes containing one or two sentences, adding a little something more in the background, usually micro poems and descriptions for places and individuals, human or not. Which is similar to what she does in her games when you click on certain hyperlinks. Play Vesp if you want to know what I’m talking about.
I can’t really say I enjoyed this novel as much as I thought I would. And I hate to say it. The writing was solid, clean cut, and oozing with green goo, erotica, and gore, much like her twine games. But something felt missing. It didn’t feel the same. And it’s not that I expected it to be exactly the same as her IF, but rather the novella just felt disorienting? Usually Porp’s stories are, but this felt disorienting in the sense that I had no idea what was going on and things felt unexplained, the world building occurred but so minimally that I couldn’t really draw it out in my mind. Also there was constant perspective switching from third to first. I somehow missed out on who is the “I” narrator. I’m not really sure if my difficulty consuming this novel is my fault – in the sense that I wasn’t paying attention or had reading burnout – or if the writing style truly just wasn’t for me. This novella felt similar to a lot of the super duper cyberpunk novels that were released back in the 80s and 90s, with all of its mechanical jargon and futuristic surrealism. Maybe it’s because I’m not that familiar with the genre? I love everything Porpentine touches, but I didn’t dig this novella as much as I thought I would.
Try it if you like: Cyberpunk, erotic fiction, slime, poetry, metafiction.
Rating: 3.5/5
Crosspost from Across From Here