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A review by taikafaitau
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
There were a few points that I wanted to DNF, but the plot held me hostage.
Giving this 3 stars because the writing and the plot were good. However, I was not a fan of the way in which a lot of the characters were described.
Biggest issue with this book: the way in which the fat character’s body was discussed and described and that part of the happy ending is that he got thin. The book never lets you forget that his personality is so great that he is loved despite his body. There are so many great and amazing things about him, but the main focus of his character is that he’s fat. Don’t get me wrong, I loved having a fat character front and center doing heroic acts. I would prefer that the character not be constantly verbally abused by the author. Him being thin in the happy ending just solidified the fact that the author didn’t think the character was enough being fat. I absolutely hated it. There was nothing about the fat shaming that was necessary to move the story forwards.
Second biggest issue with this book: the way that women are talked about. It’s very men writing women. At first it seemed like good storytelling because it showed the reader how disgusting a certain character’s mind is. But then there’s moments when the author just puts horrific imagery of female breasts that have been mutilated when there is none of that relating to men’s bodies.
Also, there is an instance of the use of the n-word that does nothing for the story except show the audience that this awful white man from the south in the 1920s is racist, which is already implied. That was also a big issue for me.
Giving this 3 stars because the writing and the plot were good. However, I was not a fan of the way in which a lot of the characters were described.
Biggest issue with this book: the way in which the fat character’s body was discussed and described and that part of the happy ending is that he got thin. The book never lets you forget that his personality is so great that he is loved despite his body. There are so many great and amazing things about him, but the main focus of his character is that he’s fat. Don’t get me wrong, I loved having a fat character front and center doing heroic acts. I would prefer that the character not be constantly verbally abused by the author. Him being thin in the happy ending just solidified the fact that the author didn’t think the character was enough being fat. I absolutely hated it. There was nothing about the fat shaming that was necessary to move the story forwards.
Second biggest issue with this book: the way that women are talked about. It’s very men writing women. At first it seemed like good storytelling because it showed the reader how disgusting a certain character’s mind is. But then there’s moments when the author just puts horrific imagery of female breasts that have been mutilated when there is none of that relating to men’s bodies.
Also, there is an instance of the use of the n-word that does nothing for the story except show the audience that this awful white man from the south in the 1920s is racist, which is already implied. That was also a big issue for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexual violence