A review by moonyreadsbystarlight
Empathy by Kevin Killian, Sarah Schulman

challenging reflective tense
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This is weird and compelling novel. While there is technically a plot, this seemed to be much more about the time. There was a big part of it about connection and identity, but also so much about culture and morality being faced going into the 1990s. It's about being a lesbian in a straight world, but also about thinking deeply in the face of a cultural push towards individualism and apathy. It's about the breakdown of the American dream -- but also the breakdown of the idea that it ever was really. There is a lot more here, but overall, I found it fascinating. 

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