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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Outing, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Medical content
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
fast-paced
challenging
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read this years ago a few times. Clearly saw something in it i missed this time.
Almost a play by play of an extreame reality TV show, awful people doing anything for attention.
Will be dropping into a charity shop tomorrow and will not regret it one bit.
Almost a play by play of an extreame reality TV show, awful people doing anything for attention.
Will be dropping into a charity shop tomorrow and will not regret it one bit.
This book is most definitely shocking and disgusting. It's a wild ride but it was enthralling, and isn't that what so many want from a good story?
The infamous first story "Guts", the one Palahniuk describes made over 70 people faint, is nasty. It's awful (on purpose) and made me fearful for the rest of the book, as well as all the reviews saying the book was gross, but I have to say, it was the only one that really made me not want to read it. The rest of the stories are shocking, bloody, and/or depressing, but they were much easier for me to read. Some are better than others, (Exodus being the most upsetting, and The Nightmare Box is the one that I found the most intriguing) but all of them show the vileness of humanity, which is exactly what he was trying to do. Create a horror story that used people as the moster of the story.
I don't think this is a perfect book, however, and one of my critiques is what a lot of reviewers have said, which is it almost feels like a collection of short stories more than an actual novel. The present-day story, the one that keeps flashing back to the stories of each character, feels a bit all over the place and slow, just a downward spiral where things predictably get worse. There are so many characters, and so except for the stories of each one, we barely get to know them. Maybe that is the point? I also thought once it's discovered how things are tied together, the "twist", well I found that part really interesting and wanted to read more!
My other critique is the voice is overbearingly male. I don't think it was necessary to describe every female character's breasts and ass. It just feels silly the way some things are written and I found myself rolling my eyes many times.
Overall this book is gross, shocking, enthralling, and an excellent (though sometimes overbearing) commentary on humanity's flaws and desire for conflict and excitement. I think if you can stomach it, this book is worth a read.
The infamous first story "Guts", the one Palahniuk describes made over 70 people faint, is nasty. It's awful (on purpose) and made me fearful for the rest of the book, as well as all the reviews saying the book was gross, but I have to say, it was the only one that really made me not want to read it. The rest of the stories are shocking, bloody, and/or depressing, but they were much easier for me to read. Some are better than others, (Exodus being the most upsetting, and The Nightmare Box is the one that I found the most intriguing) but all of them show the vileness of humanity, which is exactly what he was trying to do. Create a horror story that used people as the moster of the story.
I don't think this is a perfect book, however, and one of my critiques is what a lot of reviewers have said, which is it almost feels like a collection of short stories more than an actual novel. The present-day story, the one that keeps flashing back to the stories of each character, feels a bit all over the place and slow, just a downward spiral where things predictably get worse. There are so many characters, and so except for the stories of each one, we barely get to know them. Maybe that is the point? I also thought once it's discovered how things are tied together, the "twist", well I found that part really interesting and wanted to read more!
My other critique is the voice is overbearingly male. I don't think it was necessary to describe every female character's breasts and ass. It just feels silly the way some things are written and I found myself rolling my eyes many times.
Overall this book is gross, shocking, enthralling, and an excellent (though sometimes overbearing) commentary on humanity's flaws and desire for conflict and excitement. I think if you can stomach it, this book is worth a read.
If I could give it less than one star, I would. This is one of the most disappointing books I have ever read. It was pointless, I hated everyone in it. The story was bad and unbelievable, the descriptions of people were so sexist and objectifying and gross.
And that's not even to mention the content. There was no need to write such a graphic rape scene of a transgender woman which is horrific enough in itself but the fact that the woman is referred to by the wrong pronouns and with her name in quotation marks the whole time just. Layers of disgusting. And for no reason. It wasn't even a plot point. It was a throw away story just for shock value.
The ableism, the fatphobia, the racism, the sexism. You will gain nothing from this book. It deserves to be burned. The concept itself was not some big intellectual or philosophical idea. It was idiotic and absurd. I think the story could have been salvaged if it was only Mrs. Clark's story or even Miss Sneezy, she was fascinating, but everyone else sucked.
And what was up with the weird perspective choice? Ugh, bad writing decisions all around.
The cover is glow in the dark. That's cool. I guess that's the one redeeming quality.
And that's not even to mention the content. There was no need to write such a graphic rape scene of a transgender woman which is horrific enough in itself but the fact that the woman is referred to by the wrong pronouns and with her name in quotation marks the whole time just. Layers of disgusting. And for no reason. It wasn't even a plot point. It was a throw away story just for shock value.
The ableism, the fatphobia, the racism, the sexism. You will gain nothing from this book. It deserves to be burned. The concept itself was not some big intellectual or philosophical idea. It was idiotic and absurd. I think the story could have been salvaged if it was only Mrs. Clark's story or even Miss Sneezy, she was fascinating, but everyone else sucked.
And what was up with the weird perspective choice? Ugh, bad writing decisions all around.
The cover is glow in the dark. That's cool. I guess that's the one redeeming quality.
dark
lighthearted
slow-paced
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated