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embereye's review against another edition
4.0
So, when I picked this book up from the library, it was a spontaneous choice and I completely thought it would be kind of cracktastic. Well... I was completely and wonderfully wrong. The set up is pretty decent - a world of werewolves where being non-were was a birth defect/disability, and the nons ran a government agency to help deal with weres who caused trouble and were a minority treated as a lower caste of people. The set up was good, the story was pretty well thought out, and a lot of the emotional arcs and movements of the storyline felt real to me.
There's some really gorgeous moments in it as well, and that just made it better.
There's some really gorgeous moments in it as well, and that just made it better.
ammbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting take on viewing humanity from a different perspective.
francaramen's review against another edition
4.0
Immaginate un universo in cui sono gli esseri umani ad essere considerati degli abomini. Anzi, peggio, degli storpi invalidi. Esseri inferiori a cui manca fisicamente qualcosa, tanto da essere considerati scherzi della natura e corrotti senz'anima dall'opinione pubblica, dalla massa votante e privilegiata, quella dei Licantropi. Immaginatelo e riuscirete a capire in minima parte questa storia, con tutto ciò che comporta. La cosa che più mi ha colpita di quanto ho letto, è stata la tremenda sensazione di disagio e di insicurezza, di inadeguatezza rispetto ad un sistema costituito contro il quale si è inermi, che si respira lungo tutto l'arco della lettura. Lola, la protagonista, è una donna forte: ma dalle sue molteplici cicatrici (alcune visibili, altre molto più profonde) stilla parola dopo parola, gesto dopo gesto, ora dopo ora, un dolore infinito. Il primo è quello dovuto alla sua inadeguatezza natale: è un'onta persino per sé stessa non essere riuscita a nascere come si deve, ovvero con i piedi davanti a sé, segno inequivocabile della propria appartenenza alla razza Lica sin dal primo approccio col mondo. I suoi trascorsi familiari struggono e ci rende simpatizzanti con questa donna scavata dal proprio lavoro, dalle mansioni che odia ma che continua a portare avanti perché non ha scelta. Almeno, finché qualcosa non spezza il delicatissimo disequilibrio in cui Lola stessa vive la sua quotidianità. Qualcosa fa cadere una goccia di troppo, ed il vaso trabocca. Una nullità, o quasi, sente risvegliarsi dentro di sé sintomi inequivocabili di un riscatto potentissimo: quello di un'anima che è sì stanca, ma che non vuole rassegnarsi ad arrendersi. Lola non vuole abbassare il capo e, seppur costretta da alcuni eventi e dalla loro ineluttabilità, lotta strenuamente per ritagliarsi un posto nel mondo inospitale che non la desidera, che la rigetta e che la combatte, nonostante faccia parte del meccanismo necessario del DORLA. C'è moltissima umanità in questo libro, una umanità che non mi sarei aspettata di trovare in uno Urban fantasy. Solitamente, i protagonisti hanno sì delle problematiche irrisolte, hanno sì dei trascorsi fumosi dai contorni crudeli, ma le loro debolezze vengono spesso giocate come un asso nella manica, al momento giusto e quando scomodano poco l'effetto sorpresa. In questo libro l'atmosfera annichilente è costante ed è sì pesante, ma permette di vedere tutto e tutti dagli occhi di Lola, non di una senzapelo qualunque. Sugli altri personaggi c'è poco da dire: alcuni sono tratteggiati molto bene, altri sono appena accennati.
misssusan's review against another edition
3.0
i keep searching for words for this book. i'm drawn to brutal or depressing but neither is accurate to the experience of reading it. this is a book narrated by a woman who is a 'bareback' human in a world where the majority of the population are werewolves and barebacks are institutionally discriminated against. she is a cynical and angry and would probably be a much kinder person if her life had been different. i liked and found lola compelling and i don't think i'd want to reread this anytime soon. 3.5 stars
clarisreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really enjoyed it until it got a bit preachy at the end.
colls's review against another edition
4.0
This was an unexpected treat. I was unsure about taking on another paranormal read, but this is really more of a complete AU to our own reality. In this version, werewolves make up the majority of the population and the 'normals' aka 'barebacks' are the minority. This doesn't end up light and fluffly and isn't a feel good read with the ending all nicely wrapped up and the good guys saving the day. Who is the real monster? What does it mean to be human? Even if you don't normally read this genre, this book is worth checking out.
kittarlin's review against another edition
4.0
Thought-provoking. What if most of the human population went werewolf every month, regularly becoming bloodthirsty, untamable, and then not remembering it in the morning? What if the minority who didn't make this transformation were treated as second-class citizens every day, except for full moon nights, when it becomes their responsibility to be sure that the monsters are properly confined? How do you carry out that responsibility when you meet with non-cooperation all the time? And how much do the werewolves need the nons anyway - and what lengths will they go to get them?
thecanary's review against another edition
5.0
Man, I'm so glad I gave Benighted by Kit Whitfield a chance.
In Benighted, being wholly human is a recessive gene. When the full moon rises, ninety-nine percent of the human population humans transform into lunes (werewolves), mindless, ferocious animals, wrecking havoc if left to their own devices. Those few born unable to change are the minority – often viewed with disgust and hostility for their disability.
Lola Galley is a veteran of the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activities, an organization staffed by non-lunes that monitors the city during the full moon and is tasked with keeping order and capturing the lunes who break the law to roam free on full-moon nights. When Lola’s friend is attacked by a lune, and then murdered before the attacker can be brought to justice, Lola finds herself on the trail of a deadly conspiracy.
There’s a lot I loved about this book. The murder mystery is different. The world concept is unique. The writing style is different. But more than that, Benighted doesn’t shy away from tackling issues of social and racial prejudice and its effect. For that, this book wins both my respect and a place on my all-time favorite urban fantasy books list.
This is not a light or fun read, nor the average high drama urban fantasy fare. It is bleak, sometimes beautiful, and definitely disquieting for the questions it raises. In its ambition, it comes closer to literature than genre fiction.
Benighted gives us Lola, who is part of a feared minority. It affects her entire life - her relationships, her job, her role in her family, the way she perceives her worth and her appearance. There is no easy answer or revelatory celebration of self-love at the end of this book.
Equally fascinating, Whitfield’s world setup puts non-lunes (“barebacks” as they are called) both into the role of oppressed minority, and into the role of a special police force, tasked with keeping order on the streets when lunes transform into wolves, and granted gestapo-level powers and almost no funding.
Lola, as part of the bareback-only Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activities is both oppressed minority to be viewed with pity and disgust for her disability…and the police force, facing a monthly deadly threat of violence on the city streets and facing charges of police brutality. Prejudice, fear-of-life, public scrutiny, and life-and-death situations intersect in fascinating, bleak ways. In Lola’s interactions with her world, you see childhood trauma meet PTSD meet the soul-devouring effects reality of being different and ostracized.
There is one scene in particular (and out of many) that has stayed with me – Lola’s sister, who has staunchly been Lola’s champion and defender, has a baby.
This book is not simple. The murder mystery resolution goes into a direction I hadn’t seen before. Lola’s attempt to face a traumatic incident from her past ends with tragic ambiguity. Love doesn’t conquer all, though perhaps a ray of light does slip through the cracks of Lola’s romantic subplot.
Such a good read.
In Benighted, being wholly human is a recessive gene. When the full moon rises, ninety-nine percent of the human population humans transform into lunes (werewolves), mindless, ferocious animals, wrecking havoc if left to their own devices. Those few born unable to change are the minority – often viewed with disgust and hostility for their disability.
Lola Galley is a veteran of the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activities, an organization staffed by non-lunes that monitors the city during the full moon and is tasked with keeping order and capturing the lunes who break the law to roam free on full-moon nights. When Lola’s friend is attacked by a lune, and then murdered before the attacker can be brought to justice, Lola finds herself on the trail of a deadly conspiracy.
There’s a lot I loved about this book. The murder mystery is different. The world concept is unique. The writing style is different. But more than that, Benighted doesn’t shy away from tackling issues of social and racial prejudice and its effect. For that, this book wins both my respect and a place on my all-time favorite urban fantasy books list.
This is not a light or fun read, nor the average high drama urban fantasy fare. It is bleak, sometimes beautiful, and definitely disquieting for the questions it raises. In its ambition, it comes closer to literature than genre fiction.
Benighted gives us Lola, who is part of a feared minority. It affects her entire life - her relationships, her job, her role in her family, the way she perceives her worth and her appearance. There is no easy answer or revelatory celebration of self-love at the end of this book.
Equally fascinating, Whitfield’s world setup puts non-lunes (“barebacks” as they are called) both into the role of oppressed minority, and into the role of a special police force, tasked with keeping order on the streets when lunes transform into wolves, and granted gestapo-level powers and almost no funding.
Lola, as part of the bareback-only Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activities is both oppressed minority to be viewed with pity and disgust for her disability…and the police force, facing a monthly deadly threat of violence on the city streets and facing charges of police brutality. Prejudice, fear-of-life, public scrutiny, and life-and-death situations intersect in fascinating, bleak ways. In Lola’s interactions with her world, you see childhood trauma meet PTSD meet the soul-devouring effects reality of being different and ostracized.
There is one scene in particular (and out of many) that has stayed with me – Lola’s sister, who has staunchly been Lola’s champion and defender, has a baby.
Spoiler
Throughout the pregnancy, the sister is defiant in the face of Lola’s fears. She says she doesn't care if the baby turns out to be bareback like Lola – she’ll love the baby anyway. Then, the doctor pronounces the child healthy and normal, and the sister breaks down sobbing in relief.This book is not simple. The murder mystery resolution goes into a direction I hadn’t seen before. Lola’s attempt to face a traumatic incident from her past ends with tragic ambiguity. Love doesn’t conquer all, though perhaps a ray of light does slip through the cracks of Lola’s romantic subplot.
Such a good read.
npientka's review against another edition
4.0
A dark, fantasy world encompassing the prejudice people face every day. This statement from the minority draws the reader into this unique but familiar universe and makes prejudice more easy to relate to than even some historical fiction.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Let's be honest, the urban/paranormal fantasy sub-genre is glutted at this point in time. Like all genres, UF has varying degrees or classes of writers (or books). You have books that are quick, fun reads, kinda guilty pleasures or "B" movies; such as the Kitty Norville books. You have books whose authors believe they are making some type of message, but really aren't; a "B" movie with pretensions. You have books that can rise above the "B" level with a little more something, like Dresden Files.
Then you have Benighted, an entirely different kettle of fish. It is either literature or it borders on literature. Where it stands, comes down to the reader’s liking of Whitfield’s style.
If you are expecting standard UF or PF fare, Benighted is not the book for you. It is nothing like Anita Blake, Women of the Otherworld, or The Hollows. It is a difficult and challenging book. It's not a light read. It is, however, a rewarding and thought provoking read.
Several weeks back, I read and reviewed [b:The Summoning|2800905|The Summoning (Darkest Powers, #1)|Kelley Armstrong|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tUlMcyolL._SL75_.jpg|2451397]and said I was tired of race being used simply in terms of romantic angst, and how females leads weren’t really different in terms of looks. This is not the case with Benighted. Whitfield’s set-up is quite simple. In a world where most of the population goes furry every month, the small minority that doesn’t is the agency that patrols the furry population when they hit their monthly. Whitfield’s main character, Lola, is a bareback (yes, I know there is a different meaning to that word) which means she is not a lune (werewolf). Because of this, she and the others like her, experience discrimination every single day.
This allows Whitfield to actually look at the effects of such discrimination on people. Too often in UF we get lip service to the idea of discrimination (or racism or sexism). If you look at the popular series, however, there is no in-depth analysis of it. Anita Blake, Elena, and Kitty are all non-human and are segregated out of the human society because of what they are, yet in their books we mostly see them functioning in a society where they are not the minority. Anita has (or had) one strict human friend, Elena had one human boyfriend, who she dumped, and Kitty has her family, but the werewolves and vampires get more play. The characters who are supposedly outsiders are actually part of the in-group of the novel. In those novels, in terms of characters, strict humans are the minority, and very rarely do central characters behave as if they have been effected by an -ism; they might have to hide, but outright discrimination doesn’t really seem to occur or should it, like in Kitty Takes a Holiday, it lacks depth. Benighted, Lola is part of the minority. It effects her whole life. It effects her outlook on life. It effects her relationships.
Benighted is in a basic sense a mystery. Lola wants to find a murderer. The book, however, transcends that. It transcends the basic werewolf or vampire plot. What the reader gets, and this is what makes the book an uncomfortable read, is the effect of discrimination on the minority and the majority. Whitfield asks and answers, what happens in a caste system. While the minority in the book is based on a lack of transformation, Lola could be any minority in today’s real world. On top of the theme of discrimination, Whitford examines the role of law and justice in such a society. Lola is not an angel; she is particularly unlikable. I do not even know how I feel about her. Lola is a real character and this means she is heavily flawed. What is important, and what makes the book though provoking, is that the reader is never shown which side is right, not really. Do Lola and her co-workers go too far? Do the lunes go too far? The book leaves the reader with a feeling of disquiet because of the questions about society, race, and social class that it raises.
Additionally, Whitfield has really thought about how her lunes would work and what the laws of society would be in terms of applying to them, at least in furry form. She is the only writer I have seen who takes a woman’s monthly cycle into account and how it would be affected by changing.
Benighted is not an easy book, and it is true that Whitfield’s prose could be tighter in places, but it is a worthy, thought provoking book.
Then you have Benighted, an entirely different kettle of fish. It is either literature or it borders on literature. Where it stands, comes down to the reader’s liking of Whitfield’s style.
If you are expecting standard UF or PF fare, Benighted is not the book for you. It is nothing like Anita Blake, Women of the Otherworld, or The Hollows. It is a difficult and challenging book. It's not a light read. It is, however, a rewarding and thought provoking read.
Several weeks back, I read and reviewed [b:The Summoning|2800905|The Summoning (Darkest Powers, #1)|Kelley Armstrong|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tUlMcyolL._SL75_.jpg|2451397]and said I was tired of race being used simply in terms of romantic angst, and how females leads weren’t really different in terms of looks. This is not the case with Benighted. Whitfield’s set-up is quite simple. In a world where most of the population goes furry every month, the small minority that doesn’t is the agency that patrols the furry population when they hit their monthly. Whitfield’s main character, Lola, is a bareback (yes, I know there is a different meaning to that word) which means she is not a lune (werewolf). Because of this, she and the others like her, experience discrimination every single day.
This allows Whitfield to actually look at the effects of such discrimination on people. Too often in UF we get lip service to the idea of discrimination (or racism or sexism). If you look at the popular series, however, there is no in-depth analysis of it. Anita Blake, Elena, and Kitty are all non-human and are segregated out of the human society because of what they are, yet in their books we mostly see them functioning in a society where they are not the minority. Anita has (or had) one strict human friend, Elena had one human boyfriend, who she dumped, and Kitty has her family, but the werewolves and vampires get more play. The characters who are supposedly outsiders are actually part of the in-group of the novel. In those novels, in terms of characters, strict humans are the minority, and very rarely do central characters behave as if they have been effected by an -ism; they might have to hide, but outright discrimination doesn’t really seem to occur or should it, like in Kitty Takes a Holiday, it lacks depth. Benighted, Lola is part of the minority. It effects her whole life. It effects her outlook on life. It effects her relationships.
Benighted is in a basic sense a mystery. Lola wants to find a murderer. The book, however, transcends that. It transcends the basic werewolf or vampire plot. What the reader gets, and this is what makes the book an uncomfortable read, is the effect of discrimination on the minority and the majority. Whitfield asks and answers, what happens in a caste system. While the minority in the book is based on a lack of transformation, Lola could be any minority in today’s real world. On top of the theme of discrimination, Whitford examines the role of law and justice in such a society. Lola is not an angel; she is particularly unlikable. I do not even know how I feel about her. Lola is a real character and this means she is heavily flawed. What is important, and what makes the book though provoking, is that the reader is never shown which side is right, not really. Do Lola and her co-workers go too far? Do the lunes go too far? The book leaves the reader with a feeling of disquiet because of the questions about society, race, and social class that it raises.
Additionally, Whitfield has really thought about how her lunes would work and what the laws of society would be in terms of applying to them, at least in furry form. She is the only writer I have seen who takes a woman’s monthly cycle into account and how it would be affected by changing.
Benighted is not an easy book, and it is true that Whitfield’s prose could be tighter in places, but it is a worthy, thought provoking book.