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A review by willowebk
Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer
2.5
Occasionally insightful (her observation that biographical knowledge of an artist is now inevitable in the internet age) but mostly just muddled. This book is highly personal-- basically a memoir as many reviewers have said-- and tries to tackle too many subjects. The section on motherhood, in particular, feels like a separate book idea.
She has a self-acknowledged blind spot about women who've done horrible things, continuing to hyper-focus on male crimes and claim that the worst thing a woman can be is an abandoning mother (what about a child abuser? a Nazi collaborator? a racist?). Also, her criteria for what constitutes a "monster" is internally inconsistent to the point of meaninglessness, and she uses strawman arguments CONSTANTLY (who really thinks that criticism should be wholly subjective and never include the critics own voice/emotions? has anyone said that in the last twenty years? who is that upset about Joni Mitchell's daughter?)
She has a self-acknowledged blind spot about women who've done horrible things, continuing to hyper-focus on male crimes and claim that the worst thing a woman can be is an abandoning mother (what about a child abuser? a Nazi collaborator? a racist?). Also, her criteria for what constitutes a "monster" is internally inconsistent to the point of meaninglessness, and she uses strawman arguments CONSTANTLY (who really thinks that criticism should be wholly subjective and never include the critics own voice/emotions? has anyone said that in the last twenty years? who is that upset about Joni Mitchell's daughter?)