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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Not perfect but profound. 4.5 stars. This book would’ve changed my life had I read it when I was a teenager and even reading it for the first time in my thirties, I highlighted whole chunks of it. I have not read many books that have made me feel more seen and less alone.
3.75 - it was nice reading this properly rather than jumping around a pdf in the library like i did years ago lol. this novel is such a landmark of autofiction, and its recognition is well deserved - the characters and world are intensely alive and obsessive and the writing ducks through cynicism and adoration and philosophy smoothly. some of the lines in here are SO profound. i wish we had gotten a little more out of Jeanette herself though? there were many gaps in her choices that wouldnt have hurt to be let in on, and the ending, while bittersweet, felt inconclusive? and i liked all the intertextual interludes and chunks of her imagination, but towards the end they often got in the way. still enjoyed though and looking forward to hear winterson speak at swf!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
this made me want to tear my hair out and stay permanently bald for the rest of my life. oh my god. oh my god.
i was pretty much constantly short on sleep during the week i read this, so i probably would have enjoyed it more were it not for that. didn’t like the fantastical interludes but DID love the discussion of religion/religious trauma and queerness, makes me think that i’ll get more out of Jeanette Winterson’s memoir
I found the writing style hard to follow. Couldn't figure out what was going on.
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
An offbeat depiction of realising sexuality in a northern British working class town. Could easily fall into the traps of the classic gay conversion story stereotypes, but keeps its on-the-nose, childish voice throughout, making it stand out as a true representation of an emotional journey the protagonist doesn’t know she is embarking on.