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A review by radioactve_piano
Headcheese by Jess Hagemann
4.0
This might sound weird, but I was 100% nodding along with a sense of, "I don't sympathize but I can at least understand these feelings" -- UNTIL about page 230, where the single mention of miscarriage and abortion happens, and it's contextualized as being part of the woman (subtext: just like a limb that all these characters want to amputate!). And, sure, sometimes that's a feeling, but it's not universal (or postpartum would be universal), and it's certainly not something all women have to "ignore" or "talk themselves out of feeling" if they choose to abort. So, I had a problem with that (especially since this is a book about people who have different ideas about their bodies than what is considered normal).
Anyway, other than that very small quibble, I enjoyed this book. I wish Hagemann wouldn't be compared to Palahniuk (though how could she not be since he was first -- but in this case, it's not just that, but also "she's a female version! Women can have these thoughts!").
I read it after my boyfriend, who seemed much more disturbed than I was (though he can watch all sorts of horror movies, violently graphic, without much flinching; I end up looking off to the side of the screen) -- which probably says something about us and not so much about the book.
Anyway, other than that very small quibble, I enjoyed this book. I wish Hagemann wouldn't be compared to Palahniuk (though how could she not be since he was first -- but in this case, it's not just that, but also "she's a female version! Women can have these thoughts!").
I read it after my boyfriend, who seemed much more disturbed than I was (though he can watch all sorts of horror movies, violently graphic, without much flinching; I end up looking off to the side of the screen) -- which probably says something about us and not so much about the book.