Take a photo of a barcode or cover
bunceyyy 's review for:
Monsters: What Do We Do With Great Art By Bad People?
by Claire Dederer
challenging
hopeful
slow-paced
I found this depressingly disappointing. From the off, I was on my guard due to the author’s propensity to ask bizarre questions (such as “does self-harm count as a ‘monstrous’ action” - um no, wtf?!), use outdated and offensive language, and generally exude the attitude that her ability to consume art by monsters makes her some kind of superior being. And then I come to realise that at least half of the book centres on the most “monstrous” behaviour that women can exhibit: abandoning their children. This is despite Dederer’s claim that she dislikes art that focuses on pregnancy or children, as well as her accurate identification that men frequently abandon their children with absolutely 0 consequences. Not only did I find this bizarre, it took the book off track in terms of what I thought its theme/purpose was (establishing what we do with the great art by bad people), and - in my opinion - alienates readers who don’t have and/or don’t want children. Which leaves me with the feeling that I’ve somewhat wasted my time in reading a book which equates alcoholism and child-abandoning with serious sexual assault…
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder