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preciouslittleingenue's review
1.5
I think insufferable is a good way to put it…God. Wtf.
I truly wish I had DNF’d it but I got to the point where once I got to the graphic nasty shit, it’s like…well now I might as well finish because how can it get worse?
Thankfully it didn’t. But it’s not like the ending was worth it. Apparently this novel started as a collection of essays unpacking the “high femme antics” frequently mentioned throughout, and I wish it had stayed that way. That concept and the idea of tying it to The Green Necklace was very intriguing to me and held a lot of truth. The rest of the book…? Could’ve done without it.
Whenever I read (or watch for that matter) something especially disturbing, my mind immediately goes “well, sure it’s fiction, but a real person had to come up with this for it to exist…” and I just can’t fathom how anybody’s brain goes to these places. The “performance” was frankly disgusting. I sat in my car driving with a horrid grimace on my face the entire time and felt sick to my stomach. Just. Why. God. Why. What on EARTH was the point of ANY of that? What was the point of this WHOLE BOOK? I get that the point was that they’re all unlikeable. And like, if that was it, fine. But it also was just DISGUSTING. All the disgust and the hatred of the characters only for it to go absolutely nowhere. Disappointing af. Waste of time doesn’t even feel strong enough to say because it not only felt like a waste but ALSO sickened me. Ugh.
I truly wish I had DNF’d it but I got to the point where once I got to the graphic nasty shit, it’s like…well now I might as well finish because how can it get worse?
Thankfully it didn’t. But it’s not like the ending was worth it. Apparently this novel started as a collection of essays unpacking the “high femme antics” frequently mentioned throughout, and I wish it had stayed that way. That concept and the idea of tying it to The Green Necklace was very intriguing to me and held a lot of truth. The rest of the book…? Could’ve done without it.
Whenever I read (or watch for that matter) something especially disturbing, my mind immediately goes “well, sure it’s fiction, but a real person had to come up with this for it to exist…” and I just can’t fathom how anybody’s brain goes to these places. The “performance” was frankly disgusting. I sat in my car driving with a horrid grimace on my face the entire time and felt sick to my stomach. Just. Why. God. Why. What on EARTH was the point of ANY of that? What was the point of this WHOLE BOOK? I get that the point was that they’re all unlikeable. And like, if that was it, fine. But it also was just DISGUSTING. All the disgust and the hatred of the characters only for it to go absolutely nowhere. Disappointing af. Waste of time doesn’t even feel strong enough to say because it not only felt like a waste but ALSO sickened me. Ugh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Gore
Moderate: Infidelity
the_lesbrarian's review
dark
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This disturbing and complex novel is one I will be thinking about for a long time, but will probably never be able to read again. Centered around three very online butchfemme couples on Christmas vacation in upstate New York, Dykette explores the nuances of contemporary lesbian identity through the eyes of a deeply unlikeable narrator, Sasha. We watch relationships unravel into queer body horror at the intersection of exaggerated performance of online and real-life identity.
rep: 3 main lesbian couples, non-binary lesbians, butch/femme dynamics, he/him lesbians, they/he/she lesbians
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Body horror, and Gore
Moderate: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual violence
geo81's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Infidelity
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Drug use, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Biphobia
Minor: Excrement
womanwill's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Gore, Torture, and Body horror
Moderate: Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship
megansoetaert's review
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
that’s a no from me dog
everyone was so unlikable & i do not vibe with ppl who cannot take responsibility for their own shit. the whole time i was like… 😒🫤 no thanks. white-authored portrayals of unhinged white women never give what they’re meant to give..
i also don’t think the author was successful in the messages she was trying to spark... it felt like a tacky attempt at being reflective and sardonic tbh
also… all the content warnings
everyone was so unlikable & i do not vibe with ppl who cannot take responsibility for their own shit. the whole time i was like… 😒🫤 no thanks. white-authored portrayals of unhinged white women never give what they’re meant to give..
i also don’t think the author was successful in the messages she was trying to spark... it felt like a tacky attempt at being reflective and sardonic tbh
also… all the content warnings
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Body horror, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Excrement
sunbeam_reader's review
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a VERY hard book to rate. I really enjoyed it and read it very fast. Part of me loved this book and part of me was disgusted by it. Definitely check trigger warnings before reading! But what I will say is that the writing is fantastic and it's a very easy book to read, it goes fast and I think the pacing is great. This is impressive espy considering that the book takes place in one setting and over a very short period of time (exactly 10 days, each chapter is a day).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Body horror, Sexual content, and Gore
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Lesbophobia, Excrement, and Biphobia
agchalle's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Violence
amobrien's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
tense
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
3.5
I have never been more excited to see discourse over a book than I was with this read! If you love messy, flawed characters, toxic relationships, and biting social satire, I would highly recommend this to you. It's an addictive read, even when the content gets off-putting. Be warned, it's the kind of book you finish and you aren't sure you if you like it or hate it but you know it'll stick with you for a long time.
Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.
Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Gore, and Torture
Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship
gorejoyous's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
- 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 was so excited to begin this book when it opened with a moving passage from "The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions" by Larry Mitchell and ultimately was let down by the mess of dyke drama that followed (think L Word Gen Q levels of overwrought relationship issues).
While I enjoy Davis' declaritive writing style and the exploration of performance in queer relationships, this story and it's characters are hollow and joyless. And that seems to be a trait common among lit fic or character studies, so if you typically enjoy those sorts of reads, you might enjoy this one. Just keep in mind that it's definitely a "by us, for us" type of novel that doesn't hand hold or try to explain the queer dynamics that get explored.
Thanks to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the digital ARC!
While I enjoy Davis' declaritive writing style and the exploration of performance in queer relationships, this story and it's characters are hollow and joyless. And that seems to be a trait common among lit fic or character studies, so if you typically enjoy those sorts of reads, you might enjoy this one. Just keep in mind that it's definitely a "by us, for us" type of novel that doesn't hand hold or try to explain the queer dynamics that get explored.
Thanks to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the digital ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Excrement
Additional CW for consensual non-consent
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