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aliwhaley 's review for:

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee
3.5
challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is a fascinating character study, but I don’t know how well it holds up as a novel

The main tenet of this book for me was the main character’s refusal to see the parallel’s between
his sexually assaulting a student, and other men raping his daughter
. His use of literature, philosophy, and gods to justify his thoughts and actions makes for a really interesting read, because you see through him for what he is. And yet, he is not totally without sympathy 

It’s a book about denial, race, prejudice, power, about how people justify their actions to themselves, and about sex in all its forms

The prose is fantastic, but for me the plot felt a bit ‘and then’ instead of ‘and therefore / because.’ And, I’m not sure that his
eventual bonding with the dogs really hit home for me


I would recommend this