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mackinseyjoy's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book has moments of hilarity, but it literally has no discernable plot. Also, I think some authors seem to confuse literary fiction with writing the worst characters imaginable and having those characters say crazy shit. Unfortunately, where Thomas was looking to create characters in a similar vein to Fabienne from the 'Book of Goose', these characters fell flat. I just don't understand what Thomas was trying to say with this one, but I do plan to revisit some of her other work in the future because she is a funny and witty writer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Body shaming
Moderate: Excrement
Minor: Homophobia
cristelle_snyman's review against another edition
2.0
5/10 Used to love Thomas but this one was thoroughly disappointing and "meh".
unemarguerite's review against another edition
1.0
This book was not good, it did not make much sense, and it very much normalized eating disorders and fatphobia. Not sure what was the author's intent here but i did not like it at all. Some of the words she said towards anyone who's not skinny were so gross, and i know it was from the perspective of snob teenage girls, but she still wrote those words and the perspective on weight stayed the same throughout the whole book.
ladypalma's review against another edition
3.0
È il secondo libro che leggo dell'autrice (dopo il ben più datato L'isola dei segreti) e per la seconda volta mi ritrovo davanti un'ottima idea di base che però stenta a decollare del tutto. La trama in una manciata di parole: una scuola per giovani ricche dove si sviluppa l'ossessione per la magrezza tra diete folli, discorsi eccessivi e un culto per la magrezza. I personaggi risultano piatti e superficiali – scelta voluta, che non disturba –, mentre ciò che disturba (e anche questa è una scelta voluta) è proprio il modo in cui viene affrontato il tema dei disturbi alimentari, ovvero dall'interno di chi è completamente settato in quel modo distorto di vedere il proprio corpo e di vedere il modo. In tutto questo s'inserisce un mini-giallo, con misteriose sparizioni. Le basi ci sono sicuramente, eppure da un lato la parte crime si risolve sbrigativamente e in modo non molto sorprendente, mentre la critica sui disturbi alimentari non è incisiva, e addirittura in alcuni punti non sembra neanche una critica.
Il bilancio è che si tratta di un romanzo che da un lato ha detto troppo e dall'altra non abbastanza. Consiglio, piuttosto, sulla stessa scia il distopico "Solo per sempre tua" di Louise O'Neill.
Infine, mi sento di dare un tw finale: non leggetelo se avete sofferto o soffrite di disturbi alimentari.
Il bilancio è che si tratta di un romanzo che da un lato ha detto troppo e dall'altra non abbastanza. Consiglio, piuttosto, sulla stessa scia il distopico "Solo per sempre tua" di Louise O'Neill.
Infine, mi sento di dare un tw finale: non leggetelo se avete sofferto o soffrite di disturbi alimentari.
steve03's review against another edition
4.0
There are some really funny bits here, mixed with some quite sad parts too. One thing I like about Scarlett’s work is that sometimes the things that draw you attention at at the periphery of the main story line. Things that are talked about, almost as an aside, or sub plot. In most other author’s writing these would be the main plot.
katiesendlesstbr's review against another edition
4.0
Received an advanced copy from Counterpoint Press via Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you!
A very well-thought-out, interesting story looking at the lives of young women. It tackled a plethora of issues - eating disorders and the pursuit of beauty through all ages, male predators and their ability to trick the outside world, their immediate peers and their victims, the trouble with money and people's tendency of thinking it is the key to happiness, etc. I really liked how this book was structured; the lack of chapters and the interruption of some paragraphs by dialogue as if interrupting a thought process made the whole story feel the pointlessness of everything that the main character feels. It was funny, but mostly it made me feel really sad for these girls being surrounded by these adults that either don't actually care about them and sometimes just want to take advantage of them. There were a lot of moments that made my heart hurt, especially as a woman who has struggled in life with body image and feeling like my weight was connected to my worthiness in the world.
My one complaint is that the 'mystery' plot at the end and the feel of the book don't seem to mesh well. It feels like the whole actual story happens in the last 30 or so pages, and some really weird things happen that don't seem to fit and take you out of the story. It just seemed that the changes that happen occur suddenly and throw you off from what had been established earlier on.
However, I really did enjoy the ending, I liked seeing the changes in Tash's character, and what really pulled me into the story was Bianca's and Rachel's tragic descents. Some readers may write these characters off as superficial, but Scarlett Thomas really gives an uncritical, maybe even sympathetic, look at these girls stuck in this beautiful but uncaring and dangerous world, and shows you the issue with that reaction.
A very well-thought-out, interesting story looking at the lives of young women. It tackled a plethora of issues - eating disorders and the pursuit of beauty through all ages, male predators and their ability to trick the outside world, their immediate peers and their victims, the trouble with money and people's tendency of thinking it is the key to happiness, etc. I really liked how this book was structured; the lack of chapters and the interruption of some paragraphs by dialogue as if interrupting a thought process made the whole story feel the pointlessness of everything that the main character feels. It was funny, but mostly it made me feel really sad for these girls being surrounded by these adults that either don't actually care about them and sometimes just want to take advantage of them. There were a lot of moments that made my heart hurt, especially as a woman who has struggled in life with body image and feeling like my weight was connected to my worthiness in the world.
My one complaint is that the 'mystery' plot at the end and the feel of the book don't seem to mesh well. It feels like the whole actual story happens in the last 30 or so pages, and some really weird things happen that don't seem to fit and take you out of the story.
Spoiler
Nico's appearance at the end just seems so out of left field and as if he only is there as a plot device to alert the characters that Rachel is in danger. Also, I feel like I didn't come out knowing what happened to Rachel, and maybe that was the intent or I just missed something, but it made for a confusing last couple of pages.However, I really did enjoy the ending, I liked seeing the changes in Tash's character, and what really pulled me into the story was Bianca's and Rachel's tragic descents. Some readers may write these characters off as superficial, but Scarlett Thomas really gives an uncritical, maybe even sympathetic, look at these girls stuck in this beautiful but uncaring and dangerous world, and shows you the issue with that reaction.
cristelle_snyman's review against another edition
2.0
5/10 Used to love Thomas but this one was thoroughly disappointing and "meh".
captainanura's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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
2.0
I didn’t enjoy it as much as I remember enjoying her others eg popco but it has been a while since I read that
andintothetrees's review against another edition
TW/CN: eating disorders/fatphobia. What did I just read?! I love Scarlett Thomas' previous novels, and was excited to read this but it was just... really not what I was expecting. And really not in a good way. It's set in a modern day English boarding school and is full of lazy stereotypes (I'm not sure if it's failed satire or...?) and endless, absolutely e n d l e s s talk of weight, diets and eating disorders (one character says she "tried to catch anorexia" - I'm not even going to go there). This poor content was well-written, but good writing can't make up for a lack of decent plot or boring/unpleasant subject matter. It hasn't put me off reading Scarlett Thomas forever as her older books are so good (especially Our Tragic Universe, one of my favourite books) but I can't recommend this to anyone.