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rhysciar 's review for:
A 33-as beteg
by Anett Farkas
DID NOT FINISH: 46%
I started reading this, because one of my coworker is the author's brother, and he suggested it, and I was curious. I was hesitant from the start, because this is self-published, but I wanted to stay open-minded. Also this book was pitched to me as a great crime story, and while I've read some novels from this genre, crime is not my favorite or my strongest point - so I thought okay, I probably won't be able to guess who is the killer.
And I couldn't. But first things first:
The idea behind this story is great: there's a sick mind, a killer on the loose in one of the most beautiful cities in Hungary, near Lake Balaton. The killer is targeting young women, and after they are dead, shaves their hair and uses strong lipstick to defile the body.
I was almost at the half point, but I couldn't guess who is the killer. I had my theories, none of them were good or near the identity of the real killer, but that's why I like to read crime fiction from time to time.
What I didn't like were the characters, namely our main detective: David is an egocentric guy, which shouldn't be a problem on it's own, but he is sexist too. He gets a coworker on this case, a fellow police officer from Budapest, a woman called Vivien, who has some connection to this case, so she is sent to help. What happens after this, is pure BS: David acts toward women like they are just things. I'm not a feminist, but the sexism that comes out of David mouth was just too much. Every time this guy starts to talk, I just want to bash my own skull into the wall. He treats women like every one of them is a sex doll, flirts with everyone in the name of "investigation", and comments on their bodies. There was one specific scene, where David goes to Vivien's home (reminder: THEY ARE COWORKERS), and Vivien just got out of the pool. She wears a bikini and a t-shirt on the top, which is stuck to her body. Seeing this, David comments the following few words: either Vivien will get some clothes, or he will take her right there on the kitchen counter.
And Vivien couldn't decide how to respond.
And that is my problem with this book.
Again, I'm not a feminist, but this gave me a headache. This bullsh*t. People doesn't act like this with other people whom they know for a few days at the most. Or if they do, they are going to have a problem with HR. No normal minded woman would take this from anybody, not from a celebrity, and definitely not from a coworker. Because yes, I wrote down one scene, but this was just one from the many.
Also the bigger problem is that the author is trying to normalise this kind of behaviour in her writing. David says something sexist like the one I mentioned, and Vivien comment's how big of an idiot the guy is, but nothing happens, and slowly Vivien starts to feel different about the guy. When in fact David didn't change at all. How is this normal? How is this good romance? Because in my book, in my mind, this is a huge red flag. Yes, you can make jokes with guys like this, but to actually fall for them? Uh, well no.
Also 2: I didn't really like the idea of everybody being a supermodel beauty, and how stereotipical were some of the aspects of this book (mainly the women).
So all in all, I'm saddened to DNF this book, but it's just not good, and no matter how much I like my coworker, and how deep is our friendship, this book is just not for me.
And I couldn't. But first things first:
The idea behind this story is great: there's a sick mind, a killer on the loose in one of the most beautiful cities in Hungary, near Lake Balaton. The killer is targeting young women, and after they are dead, shaves their hair and uses strong lipstick to defile the body.
I was almost at the half point, but I couldn't guess who is the killer. I had my theories, none of them were good or near the identity of the real killer, but that's why I like to read crime fiction from time to time.
What I didn't like were the characters, namely our main detective: David is an egocentric guy, which shouldn't be a problem on it's own, but he is sexist too. He gets a coworker on this case, a fellow police officer from Budapest, a woman called Vivien, who has some connection to this case, so she is sent to help. What happens after this, is pure BS: David acts toward women like they are just things. I'm not a feminist, but the sexism that comes out of David mouth was just too much. Every time this guy starts to talk, I just want to bash my own skull into the wall. He treats women like every one of them is a sex doll, flirts with everyone in the name of "investigation", and comments on their bodies. There was one specific scene, where David goes to Vivien's home (reminder: THEY ARE COWORKERS), and Vivien just got out of the pool. She wears a bikini and a t-shirt on the top, which is stuck to her body. Seeing this, David comments the following few words: either Vivien will get some clothes, or he will take her right there on the kitchen counter.
And Vivien couldn't decide how to respond.
And that is my problem with this book.
Again, I'm not a feminist, but this gave me a headache. This bullsh*t. People doesn't act like this with other people whom they know for a few days at the most. Or if they do, they are going to have a problem with HR. No normal minded woman would take this from anybody, not from a celebrity, and definitely not from a coworker. Because yes, I wrote down one scene, but this was just one from the many.
Also the bigger problem is that the author is trying to normalise this kind of behaviour in her writing. David says something sexist like the one I mentioned, and Vivien comment's how big of an idiot the guy is, but nothing happens, and slowly Vivien starts to feel different about the guy. When in fact David didn't change at all. How is this normal? How is this good romance? Because in my book, in my mind, this is a huge red flag. Yes, you can make jokes with guys like this, but to actually fall for them? Uh, well no.
Also 2: I didn't really like the idea of everybody being a supermodel beauty, and how stereotipical were some of the aspects of this book (mainly the women).
So all in all, I'm saddened to DNF this book, but it's just not good, and no matter how much I like my coworker, and how deep is our friendship, this book is just not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault