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jenhurst's review
2.0
This book is exactly how I feel every time I leave the strip club. In theory it seems great and everyone loves it, but I get there and just see women who look like their dads didn’t love them enough and the shows seem very surface level. Maybe it’s just the strip clubs ive been too though. This just felt so predictable and surface level. I didn’t care about the characters, since there was like 15 POVs. By the time it ended, it felt like me after being at the strip club for a couple hours. Just looking around hoping my friends want to leave, just like I wanted the book to end.
I had high hopes since it was about a strip club and it gives voices to sex workers. Plus I loved the winners curse, so I was excited for an adult thriller by Marie Rutokski. Plus the cover is beautiful.
I had high hopes since it was about a strip club and it gives voices to sex workers. Plus I loved the winners curse, so I was excited for an adult thriller by Marie Rutokski. Plus the cover is beautiful.
cariadjade's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rereader33's review
3.0
This was fine. The writing could be a little inconsistent and the multiple POV's made it damn near impossible to get attached to anyone, but for a mystery/thriller it did its job. If I were to really complain about something, its that another reason why it was hard to get attached with the characters was because everyone except Rosie were pretty awful. They either couldn't get their shit together, were backstabbing smack talkers, or just generally bad people. By the end, I didn't even really care if any of them lived, I just wanted to see where the mystery would go. I kind of got the impression that Rutkoski intentionally made everyone dysfunctional as a way of showing the less perfect side of life, but when everyone is a hot mess AND an asshole, my sympathy drains and can never be recovered.
All that being said, if you want a relatively well-paced thriller, this should do.
All that being said, if you want a relatively well-paced thriller, this should do.
pricklyperin's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
alaucasia's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bear_reads_books's review
4.0
A thought provoking adult debut from Marie Rutkoski
You don't see many books set in a strip club. Least I haven't read any. Until now, that is. I'm glad this is my first one. I was pleasantly surprised. I expected a straight up thriller and got so much more. It has a literary feel with a more character driven plot.
The dancers are all unique individuals and I appreciate the love and care the author put into creating them. They are the stars of the show, as they should be. When I was reading the points of view of the detectives and the killer, I just wanted to get back to the dancers.
As the synopsis states, Real Easy does explore how women can live their lives knowing men can hurt them. I thought it was brilliant to use the world of exotic dancing for this since women who do any kind of sex work are especially vulnerable to assault, it's seen as a hazard of the trade. And they are also seen as asking for it and not worthy of respect.
Overall, I was impressed with this. And dare I say, I'd like the author to return to this world. With Samantha's little girl all grown up as the main character? Also, this is the second book in a row I've read that's set in the nineties and I must say I'm here for it.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Marie Rutkoski & Henry Holt and Co. for the e-ARC
Expected Release Date - January 18th, 2022
Review is also posted on my blog
You don't see many books set in a strip club. Least I haven't read any. Until now, that is. I'm glad this is my first one. I was pleasantly surprised. I expected a straight up thriller and got so much more. It has a literary feel with a more character driven plot.
The dancers are all unique individuals and I appreciate the love and care the author put into creating them. They are the stars of the show, as they should be. When I was reading the points of view of the detectives and the killer, I just wanted to get back to the dancers.
As the synopsis states, Real Easy does explore how women can live their lives knowing men can hurt them. I thought it was brilliant to use the world of exotic dancing for this since women who do any kind of sex work are especially vulnerable to assault, it's seen as a hazard of the trade. And they are also seen as asking for it and not worthy of respect.
Overall, I was impressed with this. And dare I say, I'd like the author to return to this world. With Samantha's little girl all grown up as the main character? Also, this is the second book in a row I've read that's set in the nineties and I must say I'm here for it.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Marie Rutkoski & Henry Holt and Co. for the e-ARC
Expected Release Date - January 18th, 2022
Review is also posted on my blog
ahomelibrary's review
3.0
Book Review — “Real Easy” by Marie Rutkoski (1/22, @henryholtbooks)
Came out in 2022. I won a copy from a Goodreads raffle last year. Better late than never.
Currently has a 3.61 average with around 5.4k reviews on Goodreads.
Categories — Thriller, Mystery, LGBTQ+, Intersex, SW, Multiple POV, Crime Investigation, Character Driven, 90s
Quick Summary — Story follows the workers at an adult entertainment club, particularly Samantha (stage name Ruby) who is an intersex performer. After giving a ride home to an incapacitated new dancer, Jade, they are both run off the road and Ruby is abducted. Through the use of many POVs, the story follows characters’ reactions to the event, lives, and the investigation to find the culprit who may turn out to be a serial killer targeting vulnerable women.
My Thoughts + More Plot (No Spoilers) ⤵️
I blew through “Real Easy” in one night. I think it’s a character driven medium-burn crime investigation, not necessarily a thriller, but more of a creative literary project — if that makes sense. It has mature subject matter interwoven within a writing style that could also line the literary fiction shelves. The author is Harvard educated and a former dancer herself; she also notes she received a lot of advice from IRL criminal investigators and medical advocates when crafting the plot.
The story is best highlighted by its 14 point of view chapters. Some are shorter than others, as we spend more time with certain characters over others. The POVs are the dancers, vulnerable children, some of the detectives, some of the men & clients, and others. It can be a lot to follow when you also consider there are numerous other characters in the mix who don’t have POV but are part of it all, but I didn’t find that to be a negative aspect in this case.
There are a lot of themes: the gritty life of the entertainment workers (plz don’t flag me IG lol), motherhood of all types, poverty, being a daughter, being mixed, being intersex, grief, losing a child, misogyny, violence against women… there’s a lot.
The resolution is sad. It’s not a happy book. It grapples with difficult content. I liked it and gave it 3.5 stars!
Came out in 2022. I won a copy from a Goodreads raffle last year. Better late than never.
Currently has a 3.61 average with around 5.4k reviews on Goodreads.
Categories — Thriller, Mystery, LGBTQ+, Intersex, SW, Multiple POV, Crime Investigation, Character Driven, 90s
Quick Summary — Story follows the workers at an adult entertainment club, particularly Samantha (stage name Ruby) who is an intersex performer. After giving a ride home to an incapacitated new dancer, Jade, they are both run off the road and Ruby is abducted. Through the use of many POVs, the story follows characters’ reactions to the event, lives, and the investigation to find the culprit who may turn out to be a serial killer targeting vulnerable women.
My Thoughts + More Plot (No Spoilers) ⤵️
I blew through “Real Easy” in one night. I think it’s a character driven medium-burn crime investigation, not necessarily a thriller, but more of a creative literary project — if that makes sense. It has mature subject matter interwoven within a writing style that could also line the literary fiction shelves. The author is Harvard educated and a former dancer herself; she also notes she received a lot of advice from IRL criminal investigators and medical advocates when crafting the plot.
The story is best highlighted by its 14 point of view chapters. Some are shorter than others, as we spend more time with certain characters over others. The POVs are the dancers, vulnerable children, some of the detectives, some of the men & clients, and others. It can be a lot to follow when you also consider there are numerous other characters in the mix who don’t have POV but are part of it all, but I didn’t find that to be a negative aspect in this case.
There are a lot of themes: the gritty life of the entertainment workers (plz don’t flag me IG lol), motherhood of all types, poverty, being a daughter, being mixed, being intersex, grief, losing a child, misogyny, violence against women… there’s a lot.
The resolution is sad. It’s not a happy book. It grapples with difficult content. I liked it and gave it 3.5 stars!
hitch's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
naomistrange's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
jamelchior's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Physical abuse, Bullying, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Stalking