Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Tampa by Alissa Nutting

8 reviews

enkiiii's review against another edition

funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

uhhh what a book. 

Celeste Price is the hot teacher Alissa Nutting has plucked from the fantasies of straight men, given a life outside of pornography and led to a spectacular demise. And well, it turns out that woman is a psychopath, and her antisocial behavior is encouraged by some aspects of our culture. And also, while this fact is frequently glossed over in porn, isn’t it kinda fucked up that she’s having sex with children?

I wouldn’t call this book a good social commentary on sexual violence and consent. Rather, it’s more concerned with femininity. Celeste’s story exposes the contradictions that arise from the way women’s personhood and sexual autonomy are negated under patriarchy. How can a woman be both a placid sexual object and a predator? Perfect and a monster? 

The premise wears thin really fast though, and the novel doesn’t have any compelling characters or a very good plot to make up for it. Celeste’s single minded obsession with teenage boys as well as the preservation of her own youth is all there is to her disordered personality. And the handling of the subject of sexual violence against minors was too callous in my opinion. Celeste’s desires are intense to the point of making her act compulsively which is a classic defense used to justify rape culture. I wish the author fully committed to the satire instead of leaning into psychological thriller territory, because that aspect of Tampa was executed less successfully. 

So yeah this is not my favorite novel with a depraved protagonist. Lolita is a better psychological thriller and Boy Parts did the same kind of gender commentary and both are a better read than Tampa.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Sexism

abstractedal3x's review

It was disgusting, I get that is the point of the book though. It’s written really well and I think that’s why I cannot continue, this is the only book I can’t get myself to finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Stalking, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

heckraiser's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Stalking, Sexual content, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Rape

Minor: Misogyny and Sexism

kamryn_grace_'s review

challenging dark

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Rape, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Violence, and Infidelity

obfuscatress's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-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

3.25

Though the writing is, owing to the narrator's point of view, deceptively lighthearted, this novel offers a disturbing look into the mind of a ruthless predator. It's a portrait of an abuser in the modern age as well as a rare look into the world of a female sex offender.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcohol, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Excrement

lovegriefandgender's review

challenging dark emotional funny 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

5.0

The complete lack of morality with which the narrator explains away these teenagers' lack of consent is fascinating horror, like watching a car crash you can't peel your eyes from. But I say guardedly (for I am myself a high school English teacher and saw this largely as an excercise in spotting in correct safeguarding procedures) that this book is also kind of sexy. Not because of the pre-pubescent boys, they might as well not be in it, no — it's all her: this totally insane, misogynistic, arrogant, perverted, obsessive maniac is so driven that a compelling story just rolls right out of her. We've had male characters like this for years. This is the first female one I've read...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Body shaming, and Sexual content

eileenmccoy's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

A truly messed up book that has a lot to say about our society and how our legal system just

continues to let people like this walk free.

 
While I wouldn’t recommend this book to anybody, I would say that it’s an important and necessary book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Drug use, Death, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Sexism

imrath's review against another edition

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Drug use, Sexism, and Violence

Minor: Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts