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kelkelkelkelly's review
challenging
dark
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
3.0
I’m rating this book right in the middle because I’m not sure what to make of it. I believe it’s satire but even then I’m not sure it’s even particularly good satire. But it’s definitely unique and I will be thinking about it for a long time.
The story is like if White Lotus read a bunch of queer theory, spent 50+ hours on lesbian TikTok engaging in discourse, then declared it could be the voice of a generation. It’s hyper-niche - I think the only people who could get through it are upper middle class queers in major metropolitan areas of North America. The references are so specific and trend driven that it already feels dated to read, and will probably be illegible in ten years.
The POV character Sasha is deeply unlikable, self-obsessed, manipulative, performative, controlling, and vain. The other characters are all thinly drawn, and it’s hard to tell if that’s to underscore Sasha’s self-obsession or bad writing. Lou, the only character of colour, is a particularly egregious example of this, seeming to be mostly ignored in the story as though the author couldn’t decide what to do with them, or otherwise demonstrating by omission that Sasha doesn’t care about anything she can’t fuck, control, or hate.
The novel is an uncomfortably frank look at how power works in queer social dynamics, albeit a very narrow sampling of the highly wealthy, mostly cis, and butch/femme conforming. It depicts the ways femme identity can be weaponized to conceal manipulation and controlling behaviour, brushed off as games and “high femme camp antics”, and insisting that if you don’t get you simply must not be smart enough. The book misapplies therapy speak and queer theory citations constantly, blurring the line between critique and asinine nonsense.
In all this, it’s impossible to tell if this was the author’s intent or if she’s just done a sloppy job at writing a complicated character. Either way, it gets points for originality and entertainment value.
The story is like if White Lotus read a bunch of queer theory, spent 50+ hours on lesbian TikTok engaging in discourse, then declared it could be the voice of a generation. It’s hyper-niche - I think the only people who could get through it are upper middle class queers in major metropolitan areas of North America. The references are so specific and trend driven that it already feels dated to read, and will probably be illegible in ten years.
The POV character Sasha is deeply unlikable, self-obsessed, manipulative, performative, controlling, and vain. The other characters are all thinly drawn, and it’s hard to tell if that’s to underscore Sasha’s self-obsession or bad writing. Lou, the only character of colour, is a particularly egregious example of this, seeming to be mostly ignored in the story as though the author couldn’t decide what to do with them, or otherwise demonstrating by omission that Sasha doesn’t care about anything she can’t fuck, control, or hate.
The novel is an uncomfortably frank look at how power works in queer social dynamics, albeit a very narrow sampling of the highly wealthy, mostly cis, and butch/femme conforming. It depicts the ways femme identity can be weaponized to conceal manipulation and controlling behaviour, brushed off as games and “high femme camp antics”, and insisting that if you don’t get you simply must not be smart enough. The book misapplies therapy speak and queer theory citations constantly, blurring the line between critique and asinine nonsense.
In all this, it’s impossible to tell if this was the author’s intent or if she’s just done a sloppy job at writing a complicated character. Either way, it gets points for originality and entertainment value.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Classism, Sexual content, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Excrement
Explicit kink contentorchidd's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-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
this was like reading about poorly adjusted people on reality TV
tags: lesbian gender, butch/femme, homonormativity, performativity (and inability to stop performing), construction of femme gender as in opposition to butch gender
tags: lesbian gender, butch/femme, homonormativity, performativity (and inability to stop performing), construction of femme gender as in opposition to butch gender
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Torture, Cursing, and Body horror
Moderate: Drug use and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Excrement
irenemarie's review against another edition
tense
medium-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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Alcohol, and Drug use
Minor: Excrement
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
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
trappedinfridge's review
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Excrement, Body horror, and Blood
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
bookclubbitches's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
Thank you netgalley and Macmillan for an ALC of this book.
Unfortunately I do not think I was the correct audience for this book. I did not enjoy plot or writing at all.
I thought the narrator did a great job, but the last 30% of this book had me literally shaking.
Maybe I "don't get it" but wow. This wasn't it for me.
Unfortunately I do not think I was the correct audience for this book. I did not enjoy plot or writing at all.
I thought the narrator did a great job, but the last 30% of this book had me literally shaking.
Maybe I "don't get it" but wow. This wasn't it for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Gore
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Excrement
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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