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gia0203's reviews
140 reviews
Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Rumfitt’s narrative voice is very clear and direct in this book - the purpose of the novel felt very clear compared to her last one. I very much enjoyed it, in a different way from Tell Me I’m Worthless.
The same themes pervade both books: being transgender in Britain, and how it links sexuality and trauma. Rumfitt writes about how it feels like we’re going backwards. She touches again and again on how extremist ideas spread. Interestingly in this novel, the internet is also a major theme, for example the fetish community. She pulls at the tension between fetish communities as a bit of fun, a sanctuary and as a coping mechanism.
This book is at times very satirical. I really enjoyed that. It isn’t scared to expose the underbelly of hypocrisy in modern politics. There’s a passage in this book that says everything is about sex, and people just like to pretend that it isn’t. This book is daring when Britain at the moment is leaning towards conservatism and tradition.
In this book, the worms are the metaphor for extremism, similar to the haunted house in Tell Me I’m Worthless. But Rumfitt’s books can’t really be defined as just one thing. She juggles many metaphorical plates at once. I criticised Tell Me I’m Worthless for it’s lack of clarity, and I don’t hold the same criticism for this book. In many ways it’s a stronger novel. Rumfitt is growing really well as an author.
Subjectively however, I think the difference between them is that Tell Me I’m Worthless was more emotional, more zoomed in on the two people at the heart of it, whereas Brainwyrms takes a broader perspective. I prefer Tell Me I’m Worthless on a personal level, but Brainwyrms is the better book.
The same themes pervade both books: being transgender in Britain, and how it links sexuality and trauma. Rumfitt writes about how it feels like we’re going backwards. She touches again and again on how extremist ideas spread. Interestingly in this novel, the internet is also a major theme, for example the fetish community. She pulls at the tension between fetish communities as a bit of fun, a sanctuary and as a coping mechanism.
This book is at times very satirical. I really enjoyed that. It isn’t scared to expose the underbelly of hypocrisy in modern politics. There’s a passage in this book that says everything is about sex, and people just like to pretend that it isn’t. This book is daring when Britain at the moment is leaning towards conservatism and tradition.
In this book, the worms are the metaphor for extremism, similar to the haunted house in Tell Me I’m Worthless. But Rumfitt’s books can’t really be defined as just one thing. She juggles many metaphorical plates at once. I criticised Tell Me I’m Worthless for it’s lack of clarity, and I don’t hold the same criticism for this book. In many ways it’s a stronger novel. Rumfitt is growing really well as an author.
Subjectively however, I think the difference between them is that Tell Me I’m Worthless was more emotional, more zoomed in on the two people at the heart of it, whereas Brainwyrms takes a broader perspective. I prefer Tell Me I’m Worthless on a personal level, but Brainwyrms is the better book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Sexual content, Transphobia
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, Dysphoria
Minor: Ableism, Deadnaming, Eating disorder, Infertility, Rape, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia
Terrorism/Bombing
Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
It’s a subversive story, perhaps even an important one, but I didn’t find myself engaged with it. It felt far from the extreme gay horror I was expecting. At times it was poignant but at others it felt rushed and cliche.
I like it far more on reflection than when I was reading it.
I like it far more on reflection than when I was reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence
Minor: Addiction, Xenophobia
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
This was a very interesting read. The main character wants to be free from the constraints put on her own body, and she goes to drastic means to do so. At the same time, the men in her life try to control her and mould her into what she should be. I loved the sisters’ perspective because she viewed the main character with humanity. This book has a very bleak outlook on life. It was healing for me to read when I was having a hard day.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Suicide attempt
Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
reflective
sad
4.0
I love this series but I didn’t connect with this one as much, it didn’t have the same magic and the running theme of the one hundred questions book didn’t inspire me either.
Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry
challenging
dark
fast-paced
3.75
I liked this far better than “The Perfect Child” because it had nuance and emotion. Very, very interesting questions posed in this book.
Also I understand the purpose of the plot twist, but it did just feel like it was for shock value…
Also I understand the purpose of the plot twist, but it did just feel like it was for shock value…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide
Trust Exercise by Susan Choi
challenging
dark
slow-paced
3.75
This was awful to read but by the end I was really engaged. There’s such an interesting conversation here about young women and sex and power. Even the writing style grew on me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
2.0
This was really sad. You really follow along with the characters on their journeys. At first they’re just living their almost normal school life, and they are just so innocent. By the end they know so much yet they still have that innocence about them.
The writing style got tiring after a while. There were so many “and that was when” “and this is why”, it started to feel unnatural and it really started to take me out of the book. I also didn’t enjoy that conversation near the end that revealed a lot of plot points - after such a slow pace throughout the book, it just felt rushed and wrong.
Despite the fact we were constantly in these characters heads, I struggled to connect with them. There was a lot of repetition in their conversations and interactions. I didn’t particularly mind what happened to them. Again, this was in part due to the rushed ending. It was a very “show not tell” style, where I was Told about intimate conversations or important moments, but they never actually happened in the book. Some of the most significant moments in this book are described in a single paragraph. Character deaths should not be so nonchalant, particularly when they have been there for the entire book. I almost got emotional, but couldn’t. There just wasn’t any payoff.
Tommy was the strongest character here, as well as Ruth. Our narrator was sometimes interesting, and sometimes irritating. I liked that they all had flaws. I also quite enjoyed the unravelling mystery and the journey through time, though it worked far better in the first half than in the second.
I think the author’s style really just isn’t for me.
The writing style got tiring after a while. There were so many “and that was when” “and this is why”, it started to feel unnatural and it really started to take me out of the book. I also didn’t enjoy that conversation near the end that revealed a lot of plot points - after such a slow pace throughout the book, it just felt rushed and wrong.
Despite the fact we were constantly in these characters heads, I struggled to connect with them. There was a lot of repetition in their conversations and interactions. I didn’t particularly mind what happened to them. Again, this was in part due to the rushed ending. It was a very “show not tell” style, where I was Told about intimate conversations or important moments, but they never actually happened in the book. Some of the most significant moments in this book are described in a single paragraph.
Tommy was the strongest character here, as well as Ruth. Our narrator was sometimes interesting, and sometimes irritating. I liked that they all had flaws. I also quite enjoyed the unravelling mystery and the journey through time, though it worked far better in the first half than in the second.
I think the author’s style really just isn’t for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death