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its_naman 's review for:

Requiem for a Dream by Hubert Selby Jr.
4.5
challenging dark sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is one of the most difficult books I've ever read. Not only is the subject matter very devastating but the writing style is also quite... unique? The book is very dialogue heavy but the dialogues are in the form of paragraphs with no quotation marks. So, you'd have to keep guessing who's the one talking. You get used to it after a while, though.

I find it hella impressive that this book managed to tackle a significant amount of issues in less than 300 pages - racism, drug addiction, misogyny, body dysmorphia, police brutality, you name it. And it does it without any of it feeling forced or preachy. The characters - oh my god, what do I even say? I've never seen a set of characters meeting such a tragic fate. 

While I'm really glad I read it, a part of me wishes I never did.