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A review by bluenicorn
Afternoon of a Faun by James Lasdun
4.0
I literally said "Oh, wow" after I finished the last page of this book. The ending alone is a really accurate time capsule for 2016- the (over)confidence felt by so many- in the American election, and also in the surety of comeuppance for those who deserved it. And reading that, knowing what fate awaits everyone... wow. Well-done.
The rest of the book itself was quite interesting to me. I really disliked the narrator and Marco, precisely because I feel like I have met them, that I know them. They are the ones who take up the whole sidewalk, making others move out of their way without a second thought; the ones who feel that the attractiveness of women "is somehow specifically directed" at them (p58); the ones who believe that reluctant sex is not something to feel responsible or shame about. "Kindness was for people who couldn't get laid, in my book." p 77 Gross. But a very interesting glimpse into that mind.
This is one of those books that is short but has a ton to discuss- highly recommend for a book club. I so wish I could use this one with my book group, but it is impossible to discuss it without talking about sex, consent, and politics, and that's just not my group.
The rest of the book itself was quite interesting to me. I really disliked the narrator and Marco, precisely because I feel like I have met them, that I know them. They are the ones who take up the whole sidewalk, making others move out of their way without a second thought; the ones who feel that the attractiveness of women "is somehow specifically directed" at them (p58); the ones who believe that reluctant sex is not something to feel responsible or shame about. "Kindness was for people who couldn't get laid, in my book." p 77 Gross. But a very interesting glimpse into that mind.
This is one of those books that is short but has a ton to discuss- highly recommend for a book club. I so wish I could use this one with my book group, but it is impossible to discuss it without talking about sex, consent, and politics, and that's just not my group.