Scan barcode
ninegladiolus's review
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
kaitythecat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
adam613's review
4.0
"The memory gives her nothing. Answers nothing. There is no truth there."
After Coach House Books had two female writers nominated, one of which just won this year's Giller Prize, this tiny publishing house has done it again. Their latest release, Pacifique, is the debut by Sarah L. Taggart and tells the story of Tia who wakes up in an ambulance and finds herself admitted to the psychiatric ward and tries to convince everyone, including herself, of the existence of Pacifique. On the ward, she meets Andrew who shares his experiences and so-called expertise on the ward and the system of which Tia now finds herself a part of. What follows is a quest for truth and acceptance teetering the line between figments of her illness and the "real word".
"A madhouse is anything but mad. A madhouse is another system. System among systems. The ever-present chaos is a distracting veneer. Underneath, pure order. A false order, yes, but order nonetheless. They want you to think it is a crazy place for crazy people. Andrew knows that every patient is just another cog in the machine. Like everyone on the outside. Inside, outside, it does not matter. You're still a bloody pawn."
Pacifique is divided into two distinct narratives and parts, both with rich and vibrant prose that makes for a special debut. I am telling you, do not sleep on this debut by Sarah L. Taggart. This book kept me emotionally involved all the way to the last page and at many points along the way cracked open a deep part of me that is way too personal to post here (I'll just let you fill in the blanks). Pacifique is a borderline thriller tale of love, mental illness and care, refuge and sanity. Sarah L. Taggart joins a list of other amazing female authors from Coach House Books who deserve her own attention as much as Suzette Mayr and Kim Fu.
After Coach House Books had two female writers nominated, one of which just won this year's Giller Prize, this tiny publishing house has done it again. Their latest release, Pacifique, is the debut by Sarah L. Taggart and tells the story of Tia who wakes up in an ambulance and finds herself admitted to the psychiatric ward and tries to convince everyone, including herself, of the existence of Pacifique. On the ward, she meets Andrew who shares his experiences and so-called expertise on the ward and the system of which Tia now finds herself a part of. What follows is a quest for truth and acceptance teetering the line between figments of her illness and the "real word".
"A madhouse is anything but mad. A madhouse is another system. System among systems. The ever-present chaos is a distracting veneer. Underneath, pure order. A false order, yes, but order nonetheless. They want you to think it is a crazy place for crazy people. Andrew knows that every patient is just another cog in the machine. Like everyone on the outside. Inside, outside, it does not matter. You're still a bloody pawn."
Pacifique is divided into two distinct narratives and parts, both with rich and vibrant prose that makes for a special debut. I am telling you, do not sleep on this debut by Sarah L. Taggart. This book kept me emotionally involved all the way to the last page and at many points along the way cracked open a deep part of me that is way too personal to post here (I'll just let you fill in the blanks). Pacifique is a borderline thriller tale of love, mental illness and care, refuge and sanity. Sarah L. Taggart joins a list of other amazing female authors from Coach House Books who deserve her own attention as much as Suzette Mayr and Kim Fu.
lucasgarner's review
4.0
Told in two distinct parts, Pacifique is a story about a woman who falls in love with another woman named Pacifique, and after an accident loses her, no one believing her to be real. The first part read as an intertwining romance and a psychological thriller, which I really loved, and would have easily given 5 stars to. The second part, however, read more like a drama about people with heavy baggage, and it really dragged for me. The finale makes it clear why the second part was necessary, so I don’t necessarily mind the hard turn in style, but it definitely could have been cleaned up to read as quickly as the first part. Overall, I really enjoyed the novel, and even in part two, where I didn’t feel quite as invested, the writing and characterization was incredible and ensured that I would make it to the end to see what would happen. Highly recommend this to everyone who wants a good, queer thriller with a bit more thought to it than the average thriller.
chloesbookjournal's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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