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shel_conn 's review for:
Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma
by Claire Dederer
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
3.5 but rounding down. I wanted more from this book, but maybe that was just me looking for a more concrete answer on the central questions: what do we do with the art of monstrous people? Can we separate art from artist? After listening to this book, I'm still not sure, and I know it's something I'll continue to grapple with for the rest of my life.
I appreciated Dederer's candor in exploring her own thoughts and feelings surrounding artists who've done bad things—and what, exactly, counts as a bad thing for men and how that can differ from the "worst" thing women can do. It was also really interesting to hear her puzzle through whether it's even possible to be an ethical consumer in a capitalist society. I'm not sure I quite agree with her conclusions regarding what change we are or are not capable of creating as individuals, but her argument was compelling nonetheless. I'd recommend the book for people who are struggling with these kinds of questions, but don't expect to come away with any clear way forward.
I appreciated Dederer's candor in exploring her own thoughts and feelings surrounding artists who've done bad things—and what, exactly, counts as a bad thing for men and how that can differ from the "worst" thing women can do. It was also really interesting to hear her puzzle through whether it's even possible to be an ethical consumer in a capitalist society. I'm not sure I quite agree with her conclusions regarding what change we are or are not capable of creating as individuals, but her argument was compelling nonetheless. I'd recommend the book for people who are struggling with these kinds of questions, but don't expect to come away with any clear way forward.