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sepiaroses's review against another edition
Graphic: Rape and Self harm
Moderate: Body shaming
savvylit'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
Supper Club as a whole shines the brightest through its primary concept: the club itself. The sections where new members are introduced were some of the most interesting and empathetic portions of the whole book. And the club meetings themselves were quite entertaining! As many women know, there is still an abundance of gender norms that can be difficult to escape. Imagining the women of this novel doing so and being gluttonous & unrestrained was delightful.
Eventually, however, the titular Supper Club fades into the background when Roberta enters into a serious monogamous relationship. At this point, I lost interest a bit. I understand the inclusion of this relationship as an obstacle to Roberta's friendship with Stevie. However, that didn't make it any less frustrating to read. Too much time was wasted describing the (frankly lackluster) relationship. Not to mention that diverting from the emphasis on sisterhood and radical norm-busting was a mistake, in my opinion. Eventually, the ending redeemed this choice... but not really.
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming
Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, and Misogyny
1414'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: Eating disorder, Self harm, and Rape
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Vomit
Minor: Fatphobia, Drug use, and Adult/minor relationship
xyukoo'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
Graphic: Body shaming, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Rape
Moderate: Addiction, Sexism, Self harm, and Drug use
dottydilemma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug use, and Eating disorder
madeleinebay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Vomit
Minor: Body shaming and Eating disorder
daniellemclough'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
3.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
bettydraper'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Rape, Body shaming, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Fatphobia, and Mental illness
Moderate: Transphobia
beckyjc'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? No
4.0
Consumption is a key theme throughout: consuming food, consuming friendships, consuming desires. I found it an interesting conceit. Women are made to feel that public space isn't theirs, that their bodies are subject to others' wills, that their appetites aren't appropriate or decent. So the lead character decides, after a traumatic event, to start secret supper clubs where she and a select number of friends occupy empty spaces at night and gorge on skip-sourced food as a rebellious art project where they abandon all limits and quite literally eat until they are sick.
It's subversive and funny in parts, and the supper clubs themselves escalate in scale and debauchery through the book...though I have to admit not quite to the levels I expected.
The central friendship is recognisable in all its complexity and insecurity. The interludes where the origin and techniques of certain dishes are described in loving detail are a genuine joy to read. Our relationship with food and its link with our society and culture is truly fascinating and this book explores this well.
It would be a good read for a open-minded book group I think. I would definitely recommend it.
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Drug use
thedreamstar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Drug use, and Sexual violence