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A review by starlings
Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer
reflective
slow-paced
2.25
I think I expected more of an anthropological piece than a memoir, but it was definitely more the latter. I'd say it's about 50% personal memoir, 25% biographies of "monstrous" artists, and 25% actual reflection on the topic. It was somewhat meandering and disjointed even as a memoir; it didn't flow well.
There's some interesting stuff in there, the parallels and contrasts of what makes a male artist seem "monstrous" as opposed to a female artist. On the other hand, I thought it was an odd choice, if not outright cowardice, to not apply the brief chapter on J.K. Rowling into the chapters on "monstrous" women. (Also, it described her as a member of the "gender identity" movement, which is in fact the opposite of her views.) Dederer discusses whether a certain level of "monstrosity" is necessary for artistry, but in a way which doesn't align with my own experiences as a creative person.
I wasn't expecting a solid conclusion, but it somehow feels particularly inconclusive. It's less a "this is a complicated topic" and more a "oh, nevermind, it doesn't matter" at the end.
There's some interesting stuff in there, the parallels and contrasts of what makes a male artist seem "monstrous" as opposed to a female artist. On the other hand, I thought it was an odd choice, if not outright cowardice, to not apply the brief chapter on J.K. Rowling into the chapters on "monstrous" women. (Also, it described her as a member of the "gender identity" movement, which is in fact the opposite of her views.) Dederer discusses whether a certain level of "monstrosity" is necessary for artistry, but in a way which doesn't align with my own experiences as a creative person.
I wasn't expecting a solid conclusion, but it somehow feels particularly inconclusive. It's less a "this is a complicated topic" and more a "oh, nevermind, it doesn't matter" at the end.