Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers

60 reviews

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was beautifully written and grotesque. It was both funny and unbelievably unhinged. It made me laugh and cringe, and feel sad. It was just so good. There were some sections that were difficult for me to get through but as a whole this is such a solid piece of literature and such a good addition to the "unhinged woman" literary sub genre.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Fatphobia

Minor: Genocide, Pedophilia, Racism, Slavery, and Outing

raquelcanread's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism, Stalking, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

vampires's review against another edition

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i liked that the book never lays out Why She's Like This (because she as the narrator is never concerned with that) but you as the reader have to sketch together a plausible explanation if you want one. i also liked that they let her age instead of making her just a sexy young maneater... she was a sexy milf maneater . the grossest scene imo? when she's trying to get the tongue. i regularly stop while going about my day to think about the note her bff sent her near the end (being vague so no spoilers). and also the fact that her family sends her care packages and stuff... i would do anything for some pages devoted to their current relationship now that they know she's a cannibal

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cancer, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Rape, Stalking, and Death of parent

rach_lind's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow. It's objectively horrifying and yet absolutely fantastic. You're hooked almost immediately and stay there throughout. Good and interestin ending, great reveaks and surprises. Shocking at times, hilarious, and relatable too. 

The only thing that was a bit irritating was coming across a word every other page that I had to underline and look up. And I feel like I have a pretty decent vocab. So prepare for that--but it seems also to be purposeful in its parody of extravagant food writers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment

taviarz's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective fast-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

5.0

I think I’ll get something different from this book every time I read it as I get older

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Car accident, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Antisemitism

rachkait's review against another edition

dark

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I recently wrote a review of Eileen by ottessa moshfegh where I stated that I don't need the main character to be relatable or likable to enjoy a book, but I found Eileen to be insufferable as a morally corrupt main character. I was a bit worried after reading that book and writing the review that I was a liar and I do need to find the main character likable to enjoy a book. This book proved that I was correct. 

Dorthy is by no means a likable character. There are times though when as a reader you are manipulated into seeing things the way she wants you to, much like the people in her life. She is a psychopath, and she wears this as almost a badge of honor. She is a sex addict, a murderer, and a cannibal, and I still laughed at some of the comments that she made throughout. Summers is a fantastic writer and I loved every second of this book. Definitely one of my new favorites of all time and my favorite book I've read this year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny

latoyareadsdaily's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

I found this book to be 100% out of the ordinary read for books. It is more like the memoir of a woman who lives by the prodding of her carnal appetite. I had to keep Google nearby as I spent half the time researching words and foods. The rest of the time I didn't bother to do it but I just appreciated the book for the lexical delicacy it is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

alrauna's review

challenging dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Cancer and Death of parent

gewaechshausgeist's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent

savvylit's review against another edition

challenging dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A Certain Hunger is wildly gory, beautifully written, disgusting, and delightful all at once. Like the gourmet meals that narrator Dorothy relishes, Chelsea G. Summers' prose is a delectable treat.

Summers is a modern master of metaphor and simile. There were so many occasions while reading in which I had to stop to marvel over an evocative turn of phrase. Here are just a few of my favorite examples:
"Then, he slid off his chair, smooth as a pat of butter oozing from a pile of hot flapjacks."
"As I stepped out into the gimlet dawn, sunlight was beginning to slip like white lies between the skyscrapers."
"Casimir wandering dazed as a startled possum."
"Flashes of the evening popped like firecrackers, while shards of conversation with Wasserman lacerated me."

Beyond Summers' delightful writing style, this book had many other strengths with which to cleanse the reader's palate between what were truly appalling descriptions of homicide and cannibalism. The scenery, setting, and characters of this book were so exaggerated as to become parodies. And in many ways, this book is satirical. A Certain Hunger is a satire of so much but especially of foodie culture, of obsession with serial killers, of societal pressures on womanhood, and of big agriculture. Ultimately I loved it all.

In creating Dorothy Daniels, Chelsea G. Summers has given the world an unforgettable, charming, and likable serial killer to join the ranks of Hannibal Lecter and Patrick Bateman. This book is certainly not for the faint-hearted, though, so avoid it if body horror and gore are too much for you to digest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape