A review by cupidcove
We Think the World of You by J.R. Ackerley

reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I found this book to be a unique experience in terms of queer historical literature- it is not often that a gay relationship is treated so casually in a text and I found that treatment so interesting. I wasn't expecting the text to focus so strongly on a dog character, but I found Frank's relationship with Evie to be interesting throughout most of the text. Despite this, the book did have some deep flaws - the treatment of women (and female dogs) is blatantly sexist and while one could argue that it is a result of the protagonist's views rather than the author's, it is quite uncomfortable to read over an extended narrative. ALSO, while it is only a couple of lines in the text the weird sexualization of and sexual interactions of humans with their dog made me EXTREMELY uncomfortable. As did the frequent abuse of a dog. Please be wary if that is something that would upset you because it pervades the entire text. Overall, while I do think there are some interesting things to be gleaned from this text, the deeply flawed portrayal of women and abuse of dogs made the text impossible to recommend.
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