Reviews with content warning for Cultural appropriation - I'm a Fan

Labeling this book as "a story about a woman obsessed" would be too much of a disservice to this incredible work, though I admit it's the hook that got me to pick it up in the first place.

It's a series of short, satisfying chapters documenting our protagonist's affair with a married man, her infatuation with the other woman he's also cheating with, and commentary on racism, capitalism, sexism binding it all together. Everything felt so personal, like thoughts ripped straight from my head -- my minority-complex inferiority to the white woman ideal, my inferiority to a man who doesn't want me but wants to use me, my desperation to belong to something built against me, my fertility as a weapon and as a release.

Sheena Patel's writing is so incredibly addicting, and while it mimics a kind of Gen Z tone, it's grounded with a raw hopelessness that I haven't felt from reading in a while.

You'll enjoy this is you want to read more themes on modern relationships, race and female perspectives.

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nicilaui's review against another edition

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dark funny informative reflective 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

4.5

This book is so multi-dimensional and yet so simply limited to one voice that I often had to re-read paragraphs to put everything into perspective. This novel is utterly honest with a macabre brutality in how a person can lose themselves in a toxic relationship while behaving toxic too. Patel has also incorporated an incredible amount of socio-critical approaches, such as racism, sexism and the fake nature of social media. The protagonist stays in those harmful structures even though she knows them inside out. Patel wrote this paradoxical mechanism in such a unique way that it makes this novel extraordinary. You also learn a lot about the creative industry and about art itself. There is no real structure to the often extremely short chapters. You should just go with the flow and not expect anything. This is not a usual reading experience causing why this book may not be for everyone. I personally didn’t like the ending so sadly no 5 stars. This has nothing to do with the quality of the book, it’s just a personal down grade.

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chronicacademia's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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lovelylilelle's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

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sophsg88's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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heydreamer09's review against another edition

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dark funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Not often do you read a book that leaves you so divided.

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jouljet's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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jacs63's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“A fast, fizzing cherry bomb of a debut” (The Observer [UK]) about power, intimacy, and the internet“

This was a very good book. Easy to read. I enjoyed the short chapters. They were punchy and easy to take in.
I can see why it's on the Longlist for the Woman's Prize, but I can't see it winning.

It's so well written and interesting, but its quite depressing and a bit of downer. I could have seen myself being a little bit like the main character when I was quite young, but not now. Thankfully.
As the mother of a young woman myself, I found the book a bit disturbing.
It talks about gender, race, racism, politics, the patriarchy, colonisation, toxic relationships, sex, abuse, obsession, art, status, social media, family etc etc etc .
It's a lot.

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