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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reading this book in 2025 is genuinely a very complicated experience, possibly due to when the book was written.
Starting with what I liked about the book, there is a reason that it is heralded as a classic critique of toxic masculinity. It's narrator and many other characters are genuinely so terrible that it was hard to read at times, especially when listening tonthis first person POV as an audiobook (to be clear, this is on purpose, as far as I could tell). While it's easy to believe that there are also themes of class critique, I firmly belive that Tyler Durden (the founder of Fight Club) is not being honest. This is something that I actually really appreciated, as the use of class distress to stoke the worst in people (and especially men who belive that they should have it all) is something that is seen often now. Additionally, the build up to the main twist of this book was great, and the awareness that slowly built meant that you understood the narrators dread - even when you know the twist. While the reason for the twist wasn't accurate, it was the perfect catalyst for the critique that the book was trying to make. Finally, the ending was absolutely needed for the critique of the book (and especially it's narrator) to land correctly.
However, the book does read as dated in some ways that make reading it very hard. As I stated earlier, the narrators POV is one that can really hard to be in, as having his thoughts so clear can be genuinely incredibly difficult. The misogyny, violence, and more are deliberate (and meant to be seen as bad) but still terrible to read. This is especially the case when it comes to how the book, the narrator, and Tyler Durden treat Marla. Additionally, while I belive Tyler Durden's class critiques aren't honest, they are latching onto real issues which can make both the reasons he gives and his less intense solutions seem reasonable to a person not reading it critically (though I don't know that this is a fair critique.)
Maybe most pertinently though is the way the book treats mental illness. (The rest of this review will be spoilers, and while most people know these already, I still plan on blocking them.)The way that this book treats DID is outdated enoigh to be genuinely infuriating in a lot of ways. Luke most media that has a charcter with DID, this book fundamentally misunderatands it and makes it out to be the cause of harm to others. It also seems to really misunderstand how the condition actually works.
Starting with what I liked about the book, there is a reason that it is heralded as a classic critique of toxic masculinity. It's narrator and many other characters are genuinely so terrible that it was hard to read at times, especially when listening tonthis first person POV as an audiobook (to be clear, this is on purpose, as far as I could tell). While it's easy to believe that there are also themes of class critique, I firmly belive that Tyler Durden (the founder of Fight Club) is not being honest. This is something that I actually really appreciated, as the use of class distress to stoke the worst in people (and especially men who belive that they should have it all) is something that is seen often now. Additionally, the build up to the main twist of this book was great, and the awareness that slowly built meant that you understood the narrators dread - even when you know the twist. While the reason for the twist wasn't accurate, it was the perfect catalyst for the critique that the book was trying to make. Finally, the ending was absolutely needed for the critique of the book (and especially it's narrator) to land correctly.
However, the book does read as dated in some ways that make reading it very hard. As I stated earlier, the narrators POV is one that can really hard to be in, as having his thoughts so clear can be genuinely incredibly difficult. The misogyny, violence, and more are deliberate (and meant to be seen as bad) but still terrible to read. This is especially the case when it comes to how the book, the narrator, and Tyler Durden treat Marla. Additionally, while I belive Tyler Durden's class critiques aren't honest, they are latching onto real issues which can make both the reasons he gives and his less intense solutions seem reasonable to a person not reading it critically (though I don't know that this is a fair critique.)
Maybe most pertinently though is the way the book treats mental illness. (The rest of this review will be spoilers, and while most people know these already, I still plan on blocking them.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence
Moderate: Cancer, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting
Minor: Body shaming, Blood, Police brutality
In addition to the content warnings above, the book is also very much about the growing of a terror cell. Adding in the book being in the POV of a man who is genuinely terrible and (separately) has (likely inaccurate) DID can add to the complicated nature of reading it.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've seen the movie so I always been interested in the book. It's an interesting way to tell a story and to make a point. I don't disagree with how the author gives you the base information of what is happening without all the scene descriptions. Really loved reading this.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes