Scan barcode
nyeran's review against another edition
2.0
"Silent skinsongs. That's all we are."
✿ Io amo lo sci-fi. E questo libro lo è. Ha tutte le premesse per essere interessante, peccato che non abbia la profondità necessaria per esserlo.
Ci presenta un mondo dove l'umanità è nello spazio perchè la Terra è diventata inabitabile. Fin qui tutto ok, classica trama sci-fi/distopica. Peccato che non ci spiega come mai l'umanità è diventata un ammasso di figure androgine pallide che non fanno sesso e non si riproducono dedite all'automutilazione. E siamo solo nel 2049. Dopodomani. Perchè allora sono nello spazio? Se lo scopo non è arrivare su un altro pianeta e colonizzarlo che senso ha vivere? Se l'umanità non ha più desideri carnali ed è solo 'materia', cosa che viene reiterata più volte, che senso ha alla fine rivelare che l'antagonista è nato donna? Se non ci sono più desideri carnali perchè questo tipo passa l'intero libro a stuprare le donne che gli stanno intorno? E come ogni libro che si rispetti gli atti di violenza (sessuale e non) vengono perpetuati sempre ai danni delle donne, sempre, anche nello spazio. Sempre. L'unica eccezione avviene ai danni di un uomo gay. Yay.
Il finale che doveva essere tragico e pieno di significato non mi ha toccato nemmeno di striscio. Non ero interessata alla protagonista, ne alla sua sorte, ne alla sorte di nessun'altro. Yayx2.
Il tutto è scritto pure bene, la Yuknavitch scrive molto bene, però senza sentimento.
✿ Io amo lo sci-fi. E questo libro lo è. Ha tutte le premesse per essere interessante, peccato che non abbia la profondità necessaria per esserlo.
Ci presenta un mondo dove l'umanità è nello spazio perchè la Terra è diventata inabitabile. Fin qui tutto ok, classica trama sci-fi/distopica. Peccato che non ci spiega come mai l'umanità è diventata un ammasso di figure androgine pallide che non fanno sesso e non si riproducono dedite all'automutilazione. E siamo solo nel 2049. Dopodomani. Perchè allora sono nello spazio? Se lo scopo non è arrivare su un altro pianeta e colonizzarlo che senso ha vivere? Se l'umanità non ha più desideri carnali ed è solo 'materia', cosa che viene reiterata più volte, che senso ha alla fine rivelare che l'antagonista è nato donna? Se non ci sono più desideri carnali perchè questo tipo passa l'intero libro a stuprare le donne che gli stanno intorno? E come ogni libro che si rispetti gli atti di violenza (sessuale e non) vengono perpetuati sempre ai danni delle donne, sempre, anche nello spazio. Sempre. L'unica eccezione avviene ai danni di un uomo gay. Yay.
Il finale che doveva essere tragico e pieno di significato non mi ha toccato nemmeno di striscio. Non ero interessata alla protagonista, ne alla sua sorte, ne alla sorte di nessun'altro. Yayx2.
Il tutto è scritto pure bene, la Yuknavitch scrive molto bene, però senza sentimento.
esskaysquared's review
challenging
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
I really did not like this book at all. The writing was very good, but I found the story confusing and hard to follow. I listened to the audiobook, and I couldn't tell if there were multiple narrators or what. I know that one reason I was so confused was that the book was just gross. I wasn't expecting body horror, but I can handle that. This was, of nothing else, more body horror than I could stand. Someone else said that the book was too vulgar and I thought, "I love swear words." It wasn't just swear words though (although there were a lot of swear words). The ideas were vulgar.
I also found the storytelling convoluted and confusing. There were definitely times when I was literally not able to follow the story because I was too distracted by some gross details about worms and stuff, but I also couldn't follow how this apocalyptic distopia came about in only twenty or so years. It was all very "somehow Palpatine survived" to me.
My sibling also tried to read this book around the same time I did, and they liked one of her earlier books. They couldn't make it even halfway through and said "it feels very MFA." I would agree with that.
Not only would I not recommend this book to people, I even told a friend not to read it.
I also found the storytelling convoluted and confusing. There were definitely times when I was literally not able to follow the story because I was too distracted by some gross details about worms and stuff, but I also couldn't follow how this apocalyptic distopia came about in only twenty or so years. It was all very "somehow Palpatine survived" to me.
My sibling also tried to read this book around the same time I did, and they liked one of her earlier books. They couldn't make it even halfway through and said "it feels very MFA." I would agree with that.
Not only would I not recommend this book to people, I even told a friend not to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Gore, Self harm, Cursing, Acephobia/Arophobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and War
blushingbearsandbees's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
cosmith2015's review
3.0
Overview:
I picked this book up as a "blind date" that my school's library was holding. I wasn't disappointed, but it wasn't as cool as I thought it was going to be.
I picked up this book thinking it'd be more of a apocalyptic/dystopic type book. And while it was those things, it wasn't *quite* those things. Maybe it'd be better categorized as a love story (not exactly romantic love) or feminist fiction.
Good:
I liked the skin grafting idea, but I do have several questions on how it actually worked to fit a whole book on your body. And not just one, but multiple. Likewise, could they ever erase a book? do the authors sign their names?
The characters were decent. Nothing too amazing, but they weren't annoying or one dimensional. I think the description of Joan was excellent and I liked seeing her path as a engenderine.
My favorite part was seeing the authors creativity with how the world has changed. The humans are completely hairless, white white skin, and lacking in sex organs. The earth itself is now more of a wasteland with subterranean pockets of life throughout.
Improvement:
I wasn't a big fan of some of the language. I'm pretty vulgar, but I've never been a big fan of "filthy" words... Like shit, piss, fart, etc. Just to clarify, it's not like the author was using the words to describe what the characters were doing, rather the characters talking like that to Jean de Men.
The book itself felt a bit over the place and probably would've been better if it was focused in on one thing. I don't really buy Jean de Men as a character either.
Lastly, I wish the author would've explained more about engenderines. How did they come into existence? Were there engenderines throughout time? What is their purpose?
I picked this book up as a "blind date" that my school's library was holding. I wasn't disappointed, but it wasn't as cool as I thought it was going to be.
I picked up this book thinking it'd be more of a apocalyptic/dystopic type book. And while it was those things, it wasn't *quite* those things. Maybe it'd be better categorized as a love story (not exactly romantic love) or feminist fiction.
Good:
I liked the skin grafting idea, but I do have several questions on how it actually worked to fit a whole book on your body. And not just one, but multiple. Likewise, could they ever erase a book? do the authors sign their names?
The characters were decent. Nothing too amazing, but they weren't annoying or one dimensional. I think the description of Joan was excellent and I liked seeing her path as a engenderine.
My favorite part was seeing the authors creativity with how the world has changed. The humans are completely hairless, white white skin, and lacking in sex organs. The earth itself is now more of a wasteland with subterranean pockets of life throughout.
Improvement:
I wasn't a big fan of some of the language. I'm pretty vulgar, but I've never been a big fan of "filthy" words... Like shit, piss, fart, etc. Just to clarify, it's not like the author was using the words to describe what the characters were doing, rather the characters talking like that to Jean de Men.
The book itself felt a bit over the place and probably would've been better if it was focused in on one thing. I don't really buy Jean de Men as a character either.
Lastly, I wish the author would've explained more about engenderines. How did they come into existence? Were there engenderines throughout time? What is their purpose?
fjreading's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I am honestly so confused by what the point of this book even was? Nothing happened for 80% but not in the fun building up way, just in a weird way. There’s no way I would have finished this if I had a physical copy. Only reason I listened to the whole thing was because I was busy playing stardew valley.
clownwitch's review
5.0
This book left me with wet eyes, a blooming heart, a desire to hug everyone I know, and a thirst for poetry.
thepamz's review
1.0
Premisa muy interesante. Ejecución terriblemente aburrida. Es demasiada introspección para una historia post-apocaliptica... DEMASIADA.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
3.0
I get the feeling The Book of Joan is going to be a Marmite book, there were definitely parts I liked more than others and some things I felt I needed better knowledge to really get. If you have an interest in gender identity an body art, you'll probably get different things out of this, at times surreal, book.
I only knew the basics about Joan of Arc, although since I have read up a bit more on her, for instance her trial for heresy was based on her cross-dressing in male clothes in order to deter rape in prison. Later, when she was pardoned, the Catholic Church said that's a totally acceptable reason to cross-dress. Anyway, this fact felt relevant to the contents of this book.
The human race is dying. A geocataclysm has wiped out plant life and destroyed the reproductive organs of people, they are now effectively genderless, despite remembering what it was once like to be otherwise. Orbiting Earth is CIEL, a group of the privileged few who are permitted to live until the age of 50. Christine is one of them, a specialist in grafting, burning stories into skin. It's pretty much the only sensory experience they have left.
I was a bit thrown off by it being set in 2049. I know humanity's set on a course of destruction but it all seems a bit too quick and it wasn't necessary to state the date. It's a very short shelf-life for a science fiction novel.
Where does Joan fit in? Christine is burning her story onto her body, the Book of Joan. She was on the side against CIEL in the never-ending wars. She starting seeing visions as a girl, seeing a future where there was nothing but suffering, nothing but war. And she had the power to stop it.
Once captured, CIEL sentences Joan to burning at the stake, a symbolic exceution to send a message and make a spectacele. As the books goes on, whate appears to be a bit random and weird turns out to all be connected. Christines burns as Joan burnt.
I enjoyed the parts that followed Joan, back on Earth, a lot more. There's a lot about environmental damage but also about how life goes on. Perhaps not humans, but other life will evolve and take our place. Whilst it felt hopeless for a while, the ending isn't without hope. There are some excellent passages and themes, but sometimes it was just a bit on the weird side for me.
I only knew the basics about Joan of Arc, although since I have read up a bit more on her, for instance her trial for heresy was based on her cross-dressing in male clothes in order to deter rape in prison. Later, when she was pardoned, the Catholic Church said that's a totally acceptable reason to cross-dress. Anyway, this fact felt relevant to the contents of this book.
The human race is dying. A geocataclysm has wiped out plant life and destroyed the reproductive organs of people, they are now effectively genderless, despite remembering what it was once like to be otherwise. Orbiting Earth is CIEL, a group of the privileged few who are permitted to live until the age of 50. Christine is one of them, a specialist in grafting, burning stories into skin. It's pretty much the only sensory experience they have left.
I was a bit thrown off by it being set in 2049. I know humanity's set on a course of destruction but it all seems a bit too quick and it wasn't necessary to state the date. It's a very short shelf-life for a science fiction novel.
Where does Joan fit in? Christine is burning her story onto her body, the Book of Joan. She was on the side against CIEL in the never-ending wars. She starting seeing visions as a girl, seeing a future where there was nothing but suffering, nothing but war. And she had the power to stop it.
Once captured, CIEL sentences Joan to burning at the stake, a symbolic exceution to send a message and make a spectacele. As the books goes on, whate appears to be a bit random and weird turns out to all be connected. Christines burns as Joan burnt.
I enjoyed the parts that followed Joan, back on Earth, a lot more. There's a lot about environmental damage but also about how life goes on. Perhaps not humans, but other life will evolve and take our place. Whilst it felt hopeless for a while, the ending isn't without hope. There are some excellent passages and themes, but sometimes it was just a bit on the weird side for me.
jaredfields's review
1.0
Reminded me of my upper level creative writing workshops... beautiful use of language but used in a heavy handed and brutal way that fails to accomplish the profoundness the author sought. Worst book I've read in quite a long time.