You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.19 AVERAGE
3.19 AVERAGE
I pick up short stories and anthologies as my morning warm up reads and this collection came highly rated by one of my favorite follows. Sometimes I so blindly trust others that have a pattern of recommending great reads, I forget to check for any trigger warnings.
These stories are nightmares for anyone who’s done the work to heal and stabilize body dysmorphia, insecurities, and/or any level of eating disorders. While the stories themselves are sharp, modern, and introspective, I felt it unnecessary to read. Nothing inspired me to come back to them each day.
I reached the last two stories and decided to DNF the book. Unless you have a strong will and are used to facing trauma, I would stay clear of this read.
These stories are nightmares for anyone who’s done the work to heal and stabilize body dysmorphia, insecurities, and/or any level of eating disorders. While the stories themselves are sharp, modern, and introspective, I felt it unnecessary to read. Nothing inspired me to come back to them each day.
I reached the last two stories and decided to DNF the book. Unless you have a strong will and are used to facing trauma, I would stay clear of this read.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
Lisa Taddeo knows. She just knows. Her writing is so unapologetic and raw. She lays bare parts of the female experience that other writers never dare to explore. You know it is top-tier writing when you read words that not only perfectly portray certain thoughts and feelings you’ve had, but also uncover those thoughts and feelings, of which you never even knew you had until just then, when the words are perfectly before you. The force of female desire and the effects of living under the male gaze are explored in a set of short stories that will leave you feeling uncomfortable, understood, angry and alive. It is only not 5 stars for me because I felt some of the stories were a little too similar and lacked a distinct voice.
dark
reflective
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
I haven’t read anything else by this author but this collection was very one note for me.
All of the characters feel like the same person with the physical descriptions being the only difference.
I liked the titular story Ghost Lover the best but it was downhill from there.
Lots of gratuitous sex, heavy overtones of rape/assault and characters that are vulgar for vulgarity’s sake.
So much unrequited, obsessive loves that just feel like they showcase only the worst of characters and whittle down the women to just one dimension.
All of the characters feel like the same person with the physical descriptions being the only difference.
I liked the titular story Ghost Lover the best but it was downhill from there.
Lots of gratuitous sex, heavy overtones of rape/assault and characters that are vulgar for vulgarity’s sake.
So much unrequited, obsessive loves that just feel like they showcase only the worst of characters and whittle down the women to just one dimension.
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So fucking cool. So many delicious lines sprinkled in here-and-there
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
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
absolutely engrossing. not a single story didnt captivate and envelope me in this dark and twisted yet somehow warm blanket. like her previous work its centered around women and sorrow/pain from womanhood but this may be the most candid expression of human form ive seen from her. its ugly but honest, and nobody does that better than taddeo. its not too over embellished in my opinion, as the sadness is an accurate look into what it is being a woman at any age.
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Death of parent