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dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To me, this is a story not necessarily about art, but about discovering who you are and claiming your own identity, especially if you live in the shadow of a toxic and manipulative person (who also just happens to be the one you love). And there is also a lot of art. In fact, the whole book feels like a work of art!
As someone who has lived in the shadows of others in the past, and who had been essentially raised to live in the shadows, I resonate with this part of the narrative.
As a whole, this book is a 4.5 for me. It has a lot of the things I love about a novel like this: beautiful prose, deep & complex relationships, and a relatable underdog of a narrator. I don’t read much historical fiction, but I have come to love fictional retellings of historical women, especially as so many have had their stories erased. And this one was extremely beautiful and well-written.
I did feel as though the conflict could’ve been made a little stronger, as the mid-point of the book felt almost more tense than the conflict. But overall, I do understand the vision for the way it ended how it did.
As someone who has lived in the shadows of others in the past, and who had been essentially raised to live in the shadows, I resonate with this part of the narrative.
As a whole, this book is a 4.5 for me. It has a lot of the things I love about a novel like this: beautiful prose, deep & complex relationships, and a relatable underdog of a narrator. I don’t read much historical fiction, but I have come to love fictional retellings of historical women, especially as so many have had their stories erased. And this one was extremely beautiful and well-written.
I did feel as though the conflict could’ve been made a little stronger, as the mid-point of the book felt almost more tense than the conflict. But overall, I do understand the vision for the way it ended how it did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Abortion
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Medical trauma, Pregnancy
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Grief, Outing, Classism