A review by moond4ncer
Biography of X by Catherine Lacey

challenging dark emotional relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

X should have been an ex- even before pointing the gun. This is a story written from the perspective of an obsessive narcissist about a misanthropic narcissist. X is not interesting enough to be as awful as she is to the people that love her. And our narrator is so unreliable at times I wondered if I was wasting my time.

 I was reminded near the end though that each partner in a relationship has their own version of the relationship, from to way that they perceive you from the way they see the role they play in the relationship. When these things are factually inaccurate, the couple has to work harder in different ways. 


It was also a reminder that as time goes on everything evolves. Relationships change, and people change too (though not usually into different people like X). Even the experience of the book changed. At times I was hanging on every word. At times it was so slow or pretentious that I didn't think I'd pick it up again. Altogether I think I've walked away with an insistent urge to hug my lovely boyfriend and a reminder that life and love are as complex as each other. 
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