Scan barcode
A review by bookishpip
Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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? Yes
4.0
I’m not sure what to say about this one. I want to call it ‘gorgeous’, a word I typically use for books I like, but in this instance that is the wrong word to use. I’m not even sure if ‘like’ is the right word as I spent quite a lot of it in despair for the protagonist. But this book sure took me on a ride and I was absolutely on board for every turn it took.
This is a book about love, lust, obsession and hate. It’s visceral and doesn’t hold back - definitely watch out for trigger warnings on this one as there are some exceptionally brutal moments.
An unnamed protagonist falls head over heels with a beautiful but quite damaged man named Ciaran. He’s a very powerful presence and she falls completely under his spell. The more we follow the relationship, the more we begin to see the pair of them unravel in their own ways. He is controlling and manipulative; she is desperate to please and self-destructive. A terrible combination…
I really enjoyed Nolan’s writing style. I loved it’s honestly and rawness. It’s one of the more accurate depictions I’ve read of living with extremely low self esteem. Parts of this just spoke to me; it’s one of those novels in which I used page markers fairly thoroughly. I liked how absolutely all of the characters (with the exception of Lisa, who doesn’t appear much) are morally grey.
Speaking of grey, I also felt this to be a poignant exploration into the grey areas around sex and consent; with frequent references to times in which she didn’t want, but acquiesced to, her partner’s persistent demands despite saying no initially. This coupled with her increasingly alarming sexual habits paints quite a nasty but sadly common image and says a lot about male dominance and female commodification. I know this isn’t exactly new in literature, but I’ve not read of it such a disturbing light before. It needs talking about more openly.
It was a fairly short read, made to feel even shorter by the snapshot nature of this novel. Each ‘chapter’ is no more than 5 pages, and frequently only half a page, making for a book that is easily devoured in a day. Sadly I read this during a ‘slump’ period so it took considerably longer… however, I do believe that a book that can get a person out of a slump is always very impressive, and that’s exactly what happened here.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend - but as mentioned, please take note of trigger warnings first…
This is a book about love, lust, obsession and hate. It’s visceral and doesn’t hold back - definitely watch out for trigger warnings on this one as there are some exceptionally brutal moments.
An unnamed protagonist falls head over heels with a beautiful but quite damaged man named Ciaran. He’s a very powerful presence and she falls completely under his spell. The more we follow the relationship, the more we begin to see the pair of them unravel in their own ways. He is controlling and manipulative; she is desperate to please and self-destructive. A terrible combination…
I really enjoyed Nolan’s writing style. I loved it’s honestly and rawness. It’s one of the more accurate depictions I’ve read of living with extremely low self esteem. Parts of this just spoke to me; it’s one of those novels in which I used page markers fairly thoroughly. I liked how absolutely all of the characters (with the exception of Lisa, who doesn’t appear much) are morally grey.
Speaking of grey, I also felt this to be a poignant exploration into the grey areas around sex and consent; with frequent references to times in which she didn’t want, but acquiesced to, her partner’s persistent demands despite saying no initially. This coupled with her increasingly alarming sexual habits paints quite a nasty but sadly common image and says a lot about male dominance and female commodification. I know this isn’t exactly new in literature, but I’ve not read of it such a disturbing light before. It needs talking about more openly.
It was a fairly short read, made to feel even shorter by the snapshot nature of this novel. Each ‘chapter’ is no more than 5 pages, and frequently only half a page, making for a book that is easily devoured in a day. Sadly I read this during a ‘slump’ period so it took considerably longer… however, I do believe that a book that can get a person out of a slump is always very impressive, and that’s exactly what happened here.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend - but as mentioned, please take note of trigger warnings first…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Self harm, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Gaslighting, Drug use, and Sexual assault