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mold_munchr's review
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.0
disgusting and I never want to read it again. and yet, I'm so glad I picked this book up
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Suicide
yvieharris's review
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Half a star purely because it was beautifully written
Absolutely hated it. Maybe I’m too angry, but Margot was a sympathiser and I understand there are two sides to the story but alas, she did not hold him accountable and it made the book seem to !? maybe not condone, but it felt remorseful that finally women are standing up for themselves and society is losing gentlemen??
anyway, I hated it. luckily it was only 80 pages long, but I especially hated the positive outlook at the end, as if he could continue his life with no remorse or punishment for what he’d done?? idk maybe that’s just me & I’ve met multiple Quin’s in my life and maybe I’m too angry to understand any deeper hidden meanings in this book
Absolutely hated it. Maybe I’m too angry, but Margot was a sympathiser and I understand there are two sides to the story but alas, she did not hold him accountable and it made the book seem to !? maybe not condone, but it felt remorseful that finally women are standing up for themselves and society is losing gentlemen??
anyway, I hated it. luckily it was only 80 pages long, but I especially hated the positive outlook at the end, as if he could continue his life with no remorse or punishment for what he’d done?? idk maybe that’s just me & I’ve met multiple Quin’s in my life and maybe I’m too angry to understand any deeper hidden meanings in this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
parisa0npluto's review
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
i only enjoyed this book because i believe that all art is intentional. i don't think mary gatskill is idealizing these characters, if she was this book wouldn't get the rating it has from me.
men really don't know what to do with the power society gives them over women. they're supposed to 'take the lead', but also not ask for consent. it's all fucked.the metaphor about the man on his knees begging and barking for a kiss was surprisingly well done. sexual assault/abuse is a systematic issue and giving it a human face helps us get a step or two closer to realizing that, quin was kind and funny and weird, and everyone thought the "weirdness" was just a part of him. they accepted him. everything the author did with his character was so intentional. he did weirdly kind stuff for people he barely knew, but he also didn't respect their boundaries. i also love that margot called her friend's accusers 'little bitches' and then when he in turn, made comments about her childhood abuse, she was deeply hurt. that's how white feminism works most of the time lmao.
most of the critique regarding this book is related to its main characters. these aren't characters you're supposed to be liking, and that's why a majority of people don't know how to read/interpret this book. i do believe she painted the MeToo movement in bad lighting in a lot of places. but she's a 70-year-old heterosexual white woman so i can't say i didn't go into it not expecting exactly that! men get away with a lot of shit, they need to be held accountable. saying that r@pe is the only bad thing a man can do to a woman? wrong, objectively. power dynamics ensue everywhere and if a man grabs a woman's nipples without asking, that too in a public space, she is expected to go along and laugh and blush. that's what the movement is about, these things are profoundly wrong & can spiral into much worse.
okay book overall, but i do hope men never find this book xx
men really don't know what to do with the power society gives them over women. they're supposed to 'take the lead', but also not ask for consent. it's all fucked.
most of the critique regarding this book is related to its main characters. these aren't characters you're supposed to be liking, and that's why a majority of people don't know how to read/interpret this book. i do believe she painted the MeToo movement in bad lighting in a lot of places. but she's a 70-year-old heterosexual white woman so i can't say i didn't go into it not expecting exactly that! men get away with a lot of shit, they need to be held accountable. saying that r@pe is the only bad thing a man can do to a woman? wrong, objectively. power dynamics ensue everywhere and if a man grabs a woman's nipples without asking, that too in a public space, she is expected to go along and laugh and blush. that's what the movement is about, these things are profoundly wrong & can spiral into much worse.
okay book overall, but i do hope men never find this book xx
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
carolncc_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Misogyny
melmarques's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Misogyny
Moderate: Child abuse
daisymayl's review
dark
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
1.0
How this fits into the feminism genre I have no idea. I understand the commentary it wanted to make - there are nuances and grey areas in the #MeToo movement but I think it was executed terribly. There was never any doubt in my mind that Quin was in the wrong, but Margot continuously defended him and shamed all of his accusers. If there had been a realisation moment where she understood that the other women clearly had different experiences to her then maybe this would make the point it wanted to, but no she just dismisses and shames women that she has never even met. I don't want to read a story about a creep who is clearly in the wrong but is painted as innocent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Child abuse
sarahduxbury's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
missemilyn's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Suicide
angel_kiiss's review
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I was under the impression that this would be a provocative look at “both sides” of the #MeToo movement, but I was thoroughly disappointed. Our main “abuser” was less “I truly didn’t mean to offend these women,” and more “damn I know I was extremely sexually confrontational to these women I just met and didn’t consider that this was inappropriate behavior for a professional environment but I have NO idea why I’m being targeted,” kind of man.
I expected a more complex look at the characters but in actuality they were pretty shallow depictions. The main woman seemed to be more in denial rather than coming to grips with the fact that someone she considered a close friend was an abuser, and most of her sections seemed to look down on the women who were coming out.
Overall, it was interesting but I didn’t find it as provocative as everyone was hyping it up to be.
I expected a more complex look at the characters but in actuality they were pretty shallow depictions. The main woman seemed to be more in denial rather than coming to grips with the fact that someone she considered a close friend was an abuser, and most of her sections seemed to look down on the women who were coming out.
Overall, it was interesting but I didn’t find it as provocative as everyone was hyping it up to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual content
sophiejohn's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This book was...a weird read. I would like to explore more of Gaitskill's writing, as it was difficult to get a sense of her in the 83 pages of the story. I'd also like to read again for annotation purposes, could make a good paper or something.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship