Scan barcode
loganmedrano's review against another edition
3.0
Moderate: Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape
aweekinthelife's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
the writing is poetic and beautiful (and i'm curious about Chee's other book, How to Write an Autobiographical Novel now) but the book was not for me. starts with quite a chain of traumatic events and somehow in parts 3 & 4 escalate even faster.
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Suicide
Moderate: Drug abuse
nini23's review against another edition
3.75
But let's talk about the writing, because it's beguiling. Some have described it as a lullaby. To me, it captures well that surreal cotton wool quality where something terrible has happened, fracturing into a 'before' and 'after' yet normal life still continues despite one feeling like dying inside. Accordingly, there is a dissociative quality to the writing, as well as used as a coping mechanism.
Sexual abuse of minors is an abhorrent crime and we see the effects of the damage effervesce in each of the boys as they grow up.
I see why there have been comparisons to A Little Life and it boils down to plausibility. Have choir boys been sexually abused? For sure. In fact, while Chee was going into detail about the Kyries (medieval profession of praise and love to God) the choir was singing, underlay there was the bitter ironical knowledge of the numerous cases of boys sexually abused by Catholic priests.
The section where Fee is in college doing drugs is when I started disengaging. The writing is still splinteringly beautiful but it's normal sophomore experiences.
If we continue with this analogy, this reader was left rather shell-shocked after finishing. I was in the same activities in secondary school and college (choir, swim team), Chee writes with inside knowledge. I liked the red hairs of Korean folklore and admire this particular strain of technical writing. My first Alexander Chee book and I am open to reading more.
Graphic: Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Homophobia, Drug use, and Alcohol
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Drug use, Pedophilia, Suicide, and Self harm
merandacree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Pedophilia, Body horror, Gun violence, Blood, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
lisbethleftwich's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Child abuse
lilywg's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual assault
julalbert56's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Self harm, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Addiction and Racism
erlipman's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicide, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
sedwards's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Child abuse