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cait_henry56's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book is like the feminine Fight Club, which I mean as both a compliment and an insult. It reminds me of a line from Lucy Corin that paraphrased claimed that men explode outward to kill others while women explode inward, killing themselves. The book is full of angst, transporting the reader back to being 15 and hating everything about yourself and the world around you. This was so close to a five star read for me, but the book meandered for too long between time jumps and slathering page after page with vague foreshadowing. It also doesn't have much warmth or hearth, but them again, what tale of feminine rage does?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, and Suicide
Moderate: Bullying, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
Minor: Death of parent
Multiple adult/minor relationships.below_average_baker's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death, Alcohol, Suicide, Sexual violence, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Fatphobia
befnie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, and Suicide
archiveofrasa's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.25
I really like this sort of vignette-style writing, though I'm not sure why. I've chosen this style for one of my own works so I guess it really appeals to me lol
the writing was really nice, someone described it as an elegant tragedy which I fully agree on. I don't think it was necessarily purple prose because everything had a reason to be in the story, even if I personally couldn't understand them. the way the narrator, Olivia, spoke about things and weaves her own beliefs and discoveries into their own little vignette said a lot about her as a character. however, I feel like there was a barrier preventing me from truly connecting with her, but considering the way she was written, I feel like that was maybe intentional.
her relationship with Serena really drew me in. once she was properly introduced was when I started properly reading, even though I will say that I didn't like her much (she sure was interesting. Temple tells and follows it up with a lot of shows which I really appreciate). Janet and Laurel were also really interesting and I wish we got to know a little more about them, but again I think the distance was the point.
I don't know how to feel about the vignettes about her parents; I loved them and how they were fed into the narrative but I also didn't enjoy them. they made me feel quite heavy, but considering her parents are literally divorced and arguably abusive, yeah. a lot of people also said this sort of queerbaited a bit and I do see the bisexual undertones of Olivia (hey hi I'm bi) but to me, it came off as that uncertainty girls have in relation to other girls when they're fully acknowledging the possibility of being attracted to them (while not necessarily sure that they are) if that makes any fucking sense lmao
I did in fact change the rating, I like this more now that I've sat on it. still will reread this when I'm older.
the writing was really nice, someone described it as an elegant tragedy which I fully agree on. I don't think it was necessarily purple prose because everything had a reason to be in the story, even if I personally couldn't understand them. the way the narrator, Olivia, spoke about things and weaves her own beliefs and discoveries into their own little vignette said a lot about her as a character. however, I feel like there was a barrier preventing me from truly connecting with her, but considering the way she was written, I feel like that was maybe intentional.
her relationship with Serena really drew me in. once she was properly introduced was when I started properly reading, even though I will say that I didn't like her much (she sure was interesting. Temple tells and follows it up with a lot of shows which I really appreciate). Janet and Laurel were also really interesting and I wish we got to know a little more about them, but again I think the distance was the point.
I don't know how to feel about the vignettes about her parents; I loved them and how they were fed into the narrative but I also didn't enjoy them. they made me feel quite heavy, but considering her parents are literally divorced and arguably abusive, yeah. a lot of people also said this sort of queerbaited a bit and I do see the bisexual undertones of Olivia (hey hi I'm bi) but to me, it came off as that uncertainty girls have in relation to other girls when they're fully acknowledging the possibility of being attracted to them (while not necessarily sure that they are) if that makes any fucking sense lmao
I did in fact change the rating, I like this more now that I've sat on it. still will reread this when I'm older.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual content and Suicide
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Panic attacks/disorders
a bit of fatphobia unsanitary actseeviee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
Seldom does a book drive me so far beyond my depth that I struggle to distinguish whether I loved it or I hate it? Forget about the levitating -- it is the MacGuffin of the story. The meat of it centers on these girls and how they struggle with their own identities, with a Buddhist version of Gossip Girl Serena at the center of their orbit. So you see how detestable some, if not all, of these characters can be. Good thing we don't gauge our books based on how insufferable the characters are, don't we?
This was advertised as a dark-academia book along the lines of The Secret History with Otessa Moshfegh's prose. The one thing about dark academia you need to know is that the main character, although the plot is written from their perspective, is almost always secondary to the plot. They serve merely as a lens and exposition to the Real Main Character whom they put on a pedestal to the point of deification. They are a spectator to the plot, so to speak. This True MC must lead a clique, and this clique must be mysterious and glorified enough to be sought after. You have to cultivate the feeling of FOMO and then give equal parts of belonging when they finally feel included. Note on included. Because soon enough you find out, in very few crumbs left by the author, that the mc was never considered an insider but only an obligatory member out of their usefulness, or, let’s say, innate ability to suck up. They rebel against this notion once they finally see the shadows in the cave a la Plato, but it’s a childish attempt. This is the catalyst for every high note in the book. The main character steps in and chooses to no longer be passive, which, I think, is the grip that chokes the collective windpipes of the dark academia community. This is what this book has done well, at least from my perspective.
What's disturbing is the ongoing theme of girls pining over older men twice their age, but I see it so often in women’s literature that it’s becoming neurotic. This is the part that I struggle to overlook in the book, although I do think it was done to point us toward the harm it can cause instead of romanticizing it. At one point the author cites the mother's favorite author "Harm is the norm. Doom should not jam." from Pnin by Nabokov, which we can consider as a nod to the author's famous work, and how that was received.
Overall a love-it-or-hate-it book, but definitely something I enjoyed, and at some point, worth revisiting.
This was advertised as a dark-academia book along the lines of The Secret History with Otessa Moshfegh's prose. The one thing about dark academia you need to know is that the main character, although the plot is written from their perspective, is almost always secondary to the plot. They serve merely as a lens and exposition to the Real Main Character whom they put on a pedestal to the point of deification. They are a spectator to the plot, so to speak. This True MC must lead a clique, and this clique must be mysterious and glorified enough to be sought after. You have to cultivate the feeling of FOMO and then give equal parts of belonging when they finally feel included. Note on included. Because soon enough you find out, in very few crumbs left by the author, that the mc was never considered an insider but only an obligatory member out of their usefulness, or, let’s say, innate ability to suck up. They rebel against this notion once they finally see the shadows in the cave a la Plato, but it’s a childish attempt. This is the catalyst for every high note in the book. The main character steps in and chooses to no longer be passive, which, I think, is the grip that chokes the collective windpipes of the dark academia community. This is what this book has done well, at least from my perspective.
What's disturbing is the ongoing theme of girls pining over older men twice their age, but I see it so often in women’s literature that it’s becoming neurotic. This is the part that I struggle to overlook in the book, although I do think it was done to point us toward the harm it can cause instead of romanticizing it. At one point the author cites the mother's favorite author "Harm is the norm. Doom should not jam." from Pnin by Nabokov, which we can consider as a nod to the author's famous work, and how that was received.
Overall a love-it-or-hate-it book, but definitely something I enjoyed, and at some point, worth revisiting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Eating disorder, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Vomit
Minor: Suicide
britt_coin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide
mxpringle's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Child abuse, Grief, Body shaming, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt
lilacs_'s review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, and Suicide
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
whatellisreadnext's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Death, Child abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
cantfindmybookmark's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
1.75
I don’t really know how I felt about this one. I thought it started so strong and I was intrigued from the beginning. I liked how Temple broke the 4th wall and addressed the readers, although sometimes it felt a bit too much. The premise is interesting. A girl with both mommy and daddy issues goes to a summer meditation retreat for young women at the same meditation center where her father was last seen. She falls in with a mysterious clique of girls seeking enlightenment and the ability to levitate. Despite that intriguing premise though, the book didn’t land with me. I thought the protagonist’s motives were unclear. Her quest to find her father gets lost in the story, and it’s resolution feels like an afterthought. Also, the girls obsession with, why I consider to be a basic bro in a pony tail, was infuriating. There were hints at queerness between the girls that were never fully explored, which I found irritating. Overall, it felt a bit heavy handed and unsatisfying. BUT I’ve read some wonderful reviews about this book, so if you’re interested I encourage you to give it a try. Also, if you have read it I would love to hear your thoughts. Maybe I just missed something while reading it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide, and Eating disorder