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dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Even from the first page this book had me hooked, which is quite hard to achieve and one of the reasons why I usually take a long time reading. Clearly, this means I need to explore Lisa Tuttle’s anthology.
That being said, the writing is my favorite part here. Lisa manages to mix intrigue with a slight feeling of dread that somehow feels cozy too? Like an horror movie that makes me feel at peace, which feels contrarian to me and yet I can relate to it now. I also loved the descriptions of the characters and the thoughts of the protagonist, the way she is described feels very realistic.
A topic I noticed is how this book explores the idea ofmore “obscure” female authors, who are often overshadowed by the men they associated with, as well as the use of women in more sexual or nude art. Part of me believes the ending also means this, at least from that perspective: not that the protagonist is literally Helen, but that Helen is what she could go through as a female artist once she passes away. It is clear to me that the way an art piece which explores a woman’s sexuality is perceived can change depending on who makes it and whether it’s implicit or explicit. That’s what I guess makes “my death” quite striking and embarrassing at first for the protagonist. I researched the author and found out she was a feminist, which makes sense.
The book is not something that has closure, there’s no point in trying to figure out how certain things happened, and I believe that is the intention. Despite weirdness, life goes on. I enjoyed it a lot.
That being said, the writing is my favorite part here. Lisa manages to mix intrigue with a slight feeling of dread that somehow feels cozy too? Like an horror movie that makes me feel at peace, which feels contrarian to me and yet I can relate to it now. I also loved the descriptions of the characters and the thoughts of the protagonist, the way she is described feels very realistic.
A topic I noticed is how this book explores the idea of
The book is not something that has closure, there’s no point in trying to figure out how certain things happened, and I believe that is the intention. Despite weirdness, life goes on. I enjoyed it a lot.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content