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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book takes place over the course of a single weekend at a lakeside university campus. Told entirely through Wallace's perspective, the book provides a depiction of university life you don't often see in campus novels. It doesn't romanticise it, but rather shows that not everyone feels that sense of belonging often associated with finding your people at university.
In Wallace's case, he notes the quiet and overt racism that impacts every corner of his experience. That's a very uncomfortable scene (at least, it should be uncomfortable for any white person reading it) where Wallace is told he should be grateful to even have a place at uni - and it is heavily implied that his chances were less because of his race. No one at the table sticks up for him because they're all white and bo one wanted to acknowledge what was happening. They had an unspoken alliance built on complicity, something that all white people are guilty of whether they want to examine it or not.
It's not a pleasant read: Wallace has been through significant childhood trauma which is gradually revealed, and he continues to suffer abuse in various ways by those who should be supporting him. You feel him accepting it because it feels grotesquely familiar to what he has always known.
Despite the heavy content however, you can't help but fly through the book.
In Wallace's case, he notes the quiet and overt racism that impacts every corner of his experience. That's a very uncomfortable scene (at least, it should be uncomfortable for any white person reading it) where Wallace is told he should be grateful to even have a place at uni - and it is heavily implied that his chances were less because of his race. No one at the table sticks up for him because they're all white and bo one wanted to acknowledge what was happening. They had an unspoken alliance built on complicity, something that all white people are guilty of whether they want to examine it or not.
It's not a pleasant read: Wallace has been through significant childhood trauma which is gradually revealed, and he continues to suffer abuse in various ways by those who should be supporting him. You feel him accepting it because it feels grotesquely familiar to what he has always known.
Despite the heavy content however, you can't help but fly through the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault
I really liked this book, but I’m not sure I fully understood it ... ? I feel like I need more time to mull it over. It was beautifully written but I would have liked more time with some of the subplots.
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Liked it! I don't think I've read a novel of this style (plot light, internality heavy, sophisticated prose) that takes place in a condensed time scale like this. Also a good model of a student struggling to keep up despite getting in for my story.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is beautiful, but my God is it depressing. Took me a little while to get through this one, it’s very heavy and at times (painfully) slow. The absolute highlight however is Taylor’s expert characterisation of Wallace, the book’s troubled protagonist. Taylor’s masterful writing takes you right inside Wallace’s inner most thoughts, that you almost feel like you are Wallace.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Classism