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gilh0_0ley 's review for:
Her Body and Other Parties
by Carmen Maria Machado
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like Her Body more than I actually did. Machado is clearly a talented writer, and the collection starts out well-enough. "The Husband Stitch" is an old story told well and "Inventory" has a creative conceit.
After that though, the wheels started coming off the bus. "Mothers" was annoyingly ambigious. Then there's "Especially heinous" which was an absolutely atrocious slog. I've watched the odd episode of SVU. I got the references, I get the bit. But then it just kept going. On and on and on. The fact that the audiobook narration was monotonic best of times assuredly did not help. I can't say I have strong opinions about the later stories, which were fine.
More generally, I kind of take umbrage with some of the sex scenes. Full disclosure, I'm a cis male and I recognise completely that a collection of short stories specifically called "Her Body and Other Parties" with feminist/queer themes is going to have quite a bit of sex in it. Fair enough. Did every relationship need bleak, affectionless sex though? Detatchment works well enough when it feels pointed, like with the husband and wife in "The Husband Stitch". In "Real Women Have Bodies" on the other hand, the narrator is (I think) supposed to be deeply in love with her girlfriend. As her partner is slowly fading away (read: dying) the narrator continues that they are having sex with greater urgency, to less success . That's the priority here? That's all the relationship is?
It is entirely possible that I would have enjoyed this more as a read rather than a listen if I take more in. I won't be chancing it though.
After that though, the wheels started coming off the bus. "Mothers" was annoyingly ambigious. Then there's "Especially heinous" which was an absolutely atrocious slog. I've watched the odd episode of SVU. I got the references, I get the bit. But then it just kept going. On and on and on. The fact that the audiobook narration was monotonic best of times assuredly did not help. I can't say I have strong opinions about the later stories, which were fine.
More generally, I kind of take umbrage with some of the sex scenes. Full disclosure, I'm a cis male and I recognise completely that a collection of short stories specifically called "Her Body and Other Parties" with feminist/queer themes is going to have quite a bit of sex in it. Fair enough. Did every relationship need bleak, affectionless sex though? Detatchment works well enough when it feels pointed, like with the husband and wife in "The Husband Stitch". In "Real Women Have Bodies" on the other hand, the narrator is (I think) supposed to be deeply in love with her girlfriend. As her partner is
It is entirely possible that I would have enjoyed this more as a read rather than a listen if I take more in. I won't be chancing it though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content