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ahdler's review against another edition
2.0
Amazing concept ruined by a poorly main character. Phoebe’s inner monologue was painful, she has this “I’m the hero I must suffer and must make everything right” god just relax. Also, following this line of thought, she doesn’t fell like 18, feels more like 13 or so. I could say more bits that didn’t fit well but that’d be spoilers. I wanted more of the rust maidens and less of Phoebe’s irrational self pity. And god don’t make me start with the secret she had been keeping all these years…
camilleisreading24's review against another edition
4.0
***3.5/5 stars***
Our fathers learned how to stand in unemployment lines. Our mothers learned how to smile through bourbon-soaked tears. And all of us learned how to live with the reality that the Rust Maidens were not a fad or a fleeting temper tantrum. It was, we soon realized, entirely possible that they had invented a new way to say goodbye.
It's the summer of 1980. Phoebe and her best friend Jacqueline just graduated from high school and have one last summer together in Cleveland before Phoebe goes away to college. The steel mill looming above the town is where nearly everyone's father is employed. So when the mill workers go on strike, everyone is affected. Then the Rust Maidens appear. Girls are changing, slowly shedding their skins to reveal rusted metal and oil in place of muscles and blood. Phoebe is ready to run, until she realizes that the person she loves most is changing too...
This book has a fascinating premise. I've never read a story quite like it and the body horror is effective. I found the setting--a Rust Belt town facing the existential dread of a mass unemployment-- compelling. Unfortunately, the pacing was a bit off. It starts out very strong and the ending is interesting, but the middle portion felt drawn out. I would like to read more gothic stories like this that are set in the Midwest. And I'm interested in reading more from this author.
Our fathers learned how to stand in unemployment lines. Our mothers learned how to smile through bourbon-soaked tears. And all of us learned how to live with the reality that the Rust Maidens were not a fad or a fleeting temper tantrum. It was, we soon realized, entirely possible that they had invented a new way to say goodbye.
It's the summer of 1980. Phoebe and her best friend Jacqueline just graduated from high school and have one last summer together in Cleveland before Phoebe goes away to college. The steel mill looming above the town is where nearly everyone's father is employed. So when the mill workers go on strike, everyone is affected. Then the Rust Maidens appear. Girls are changing, slowly shedding their skins to reveal rusted metal and oil in place of muscles and blood. Phoebe is ready to run, until she realizes that the person she loves most is changing too...
This book has a fascinating premise. I've never read a story quite like it and the body horror is effective. I found the setting--a Rust Belt town facing the existential dread of a mass unemployment-- compelling. Unfortunately, the pacing was a bit off. It starts out very strong and the ending is interesting, but the middle portion felt drawn out. I would like to read more gothic stories like this that are set in the Midwest. And I'm interested in reading more from this author.
geve_'s review against another edition
1.0
These are among the worst written people I've read. Why would tourists show up to fucking Ohio to take pictures of some girls with a mysterious disorder that is turning them into metal? Wouldn't they be afraid to catch it? They made no sense whatsoever, their reactions to things were really really strange. It felt like a story as seen through the eyes of a highly narcissistic person who doesn't recognize anyone else as actual people.
There was a massive and poorly constructed metaphor here. Just really clunky. There were none of the promised monsters or body horror. If you want to read an overly floral, non-scary book about a very tedious, self-centered middle aged woman with the personality of a spoiled shitty 14 year old, this is the book for you.
There was a massive and poorly constructed metaphor here. Just really clunky. There were none of the promised monsters or body horror. If you want to read an overly floral, non-scary book about a very tedious, self-centered middle aged woman with the personality of a spoiled shitty 14 year old, this is the book for you.
magratajostiernos's review against another edition
2.0
Este libro es uno de esos casos en los que voy un poco a contracorriente. Todo el mundo lo ha amado y entiendo porqué pero claramente es de esas novelas que simplemente no encajan contigo.
En principio tiene una premisa muy interesante. Contado a través de dos líneas temporadas, la principal está ambientada en los años 80 en Cleveland, en un ambiente de crisis y huelgas (que ha sido lo que más me ha gustado de la historia) varias chicas empiezan a desarrollar una extraña "enfermedad" o "cambio", entre ellas, la mejor amiga de la protagonista que es la única verdaderamente preocupada por lo que les ocurre. Así veremos a lo largo de la novela qué sucedió con estas jóvenes, todo ello intercalado con el regreso de la protagonista a su barrio 3o años después.
Bueno, pues eso, me encantó la premisa y el trasfondo pero la lectura me fue cargando hasta que al final solo quería acabarla y matar a su protagonista. Dios, hacía tiempo que no odiaba tanto un personaje ficticio xD
Me pareció que la novela estaba plagada de incongruencias y cosas inverosímiles relacionadas con la manera de actuar de los personajes. Esto es algo que me molesta mucho si se repite como ocurre en todo el libro, los personajes parece que están ahí para hacer más miserable (en su opinión) a nuestra protagonista o para que se luzca en el momento adecuado. Ninguno tiene verdadero carácter, personalidad o interés fuera de la protagonista... y como decía, ella me resultó la típica niñata insufrible que se cree el centro del mundo (aún con 50 años).
Tampoco me gustó el estilo de la autora, que más que de terror me pareció el típico noir con todos los tropos del género (hasta el coche xD).
Lo más interesante, descubrir lo que les pasó a las chicas, termina siendo otro punto muy insatisfactorio porque apenas se explica. Y bien, hay mucha metáfora y, como digo, un trasfondo interesante pero este es un libro de esos que claramente no está hecho para mi.
En principio tiene una premisa muy interesante. Contado a través de dos líneas temporadas, la principal está ambientada en los años 80 en Cleveland, en un ambiente de crisis y huelgas (que ha sido lo que más me ha gustado de la historia) varias chicas empiezan a desarrollar una extraña "enfermedad" o "cambio", entre ellas, la mejor amiga de la protagonista que es la única verdaderamente preocupada por lo que les ocurre. Así veremos a lo largo de la novela qué sucedió con estas jóvenes, todo ello intercalado con el regreso de la protagonista a su barrio 3o años después.
Bueno, pues eso, me encantó la premisa y el trasfondo pero la lectura me fue cargando hasta que al final solo quería acabarla y matar a su protagonista. Dios, hacía tiempo que no odiaba tanto un personaje ficticio xD
Me pareció que la novela estaba plagada de incongruencias y cosas inverosímiles relacionadas con la manera de actuar de los personajes. Esto es algo que me molesta mucho si se repite como ocurre en todo el libro, los personajes parece que están ahí para hacer más miserable (en su opinión) a nuestra protagonista o para que se luzca en el momento adecuado. Ninguno tiene verdadero carácter, personalidad o interés fuera de la protagonista... y como decía, ella me resultó la típica niñata insufrible que se cree el centro del mundo (aún con 50 años).
Tampoco me gustó el estilo de la autora, que más que de terror me pareció el típico noir con todos los tropos del género (hasta el coche xD).
Lo más interesante, descubrir lo que les pasó a las chicas, termina siendo otro punto muy insatisfactorio porque apenas se explica. Y bien, hay mucha metáfora y, como digo, un trasfondo interesante pero este es un libro de esos que claramente no está hecho para mi.
kailina's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
3.5
alania25's review against another edition
4.0
I am not very familiar with this genre and the “body horror” theme, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book nonetheless. The metaphor of rust to depict a rotten, decaying society and the industry debacle of the late 70s and early 80s was spot on.
One of thing I found interesting is how the “rust maidens” were those who, in one way or the other, felt trapped in a society that was extremely judgmental and strict on family dynamics overall. In turn, the rust maidens were those who were deemed societal pariahs or they firmly believed that they didn’t have the strength to defy convention and escape their small, industrial town. This is also why I believe Phoebe was spared from the “disease”. Being always a rebel and a free spirit, I don’t she was the ideal candidate for a rust maiden.
On a side note, it is a reading I hold dear to my heart sine it was recommended by my dear cousin whom I haven’t seen in a long time.
One of thing I found interesting is how the “rust maidens” were those who, in one way or the other, felt trapped in a society that was extremely judgmental and strict on family dynamics overall. In turn, the rust maidens were those who were deemed societal pariahs or they firmly believed that they didn’t have the strength to defy convention and escape their small, industrial town. This is also why I believe Phoebe was spared from the “disease”. Being always a rebel and a free spirit, I don’t she was the ideal candidate for a rust maiden.
On a side note, it is a reading I hold dear to my heart sine it was recommended by my dear cousin whom I haven’t seen in a long time.
neon_capricorn's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, this was a good read. It was light, and the writing was clear. I also really liked the concept and themes of the story. I felt, however, that his might’ve been better as a short story, as it did feel episodic, and the ending wasn’t as fulfilling as I had hoped for.
gordcampbell's review against another edition
4.0
What an odd book. A strange, confusing, overly verbose, rambling, incredible book.
coelacanth's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0