anahisa's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
damn near perfect, actually!!!
What can I say, she’s charmed me!!! Absolutely ate up the absurdist humor here, and all the discussions surrounding how fucked up the mundane dating scene can be <3
I’ve been pitching it to friends as Russian Doll meets The Night is Short, Walk on Girl. If either of these pieces of media are your jam, I highly recommend giving this odd culty romcom a read!
What can I say, she’s charmed me!!! Absolutely ate up the absurdist humor here, and all the discussions surrounding how fucked up the mundane dating scene can be <3
I’ve been pitching it to friends as Russian Doll meets The Night is Short, Walk on Girl. If either of these pieces of media are your jam, I highly recommend giving this odd culty romcom a read!
Minor: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
akswhy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a wildly entertaining, surprisingly cathartic story with a great voice and at times some of the most beautiful modern prose l've ever read.
I will be thinking about this book for years to come. If A Christmas Carol and Glass Onion and Tinder had a love child, this book would be it.
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Rape and Child abuse
corncake's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
3.75
This is a genre-bending story: It’s a magical thriller meets a cynical romance, with a touch of noir mystery sprinkled in. I find the writing smart, witty, and misanthropic with morally ambiguous characters and ending. I find most of the characters, but especially our MC to be dislikable, but so enjoyable in a literary format.
I have complicated feelings about this book, and I would definitely say this is for a very niche target audience. But I can acknowledge the author’s craft, even if I’m not a huge fan of the book itself.
Trigger Warning: Fabricated SA story from our MC.
I have complicated feelings about this book, and I would definitely say this is for a very niche target audience. But I can acknowledge the author’s craft, even if I’m not a huge fan of the book itself.
Trigger Warning: Fabricated SA story from our MC.
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death
savvylit's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was my first book by Sloane Crosley and she definitely lived up to her hype as a clever and witty author. Cult Classic has some excellent one-liners and a handful of very insightful passages on the nature of modern relationships. That's where the novel really shines - when it's focused on the hilarity of heterosexual relationship tropes.
Including the word "cult" in the title is a dead giveaway that one appears in the novel. (That's about all I feel I can mention without giving anything away.) I loved the premise of someone having to revisit what are essentially the ghosts of boyfriends past before settling down for marriage. Brilliant! But when it came to the actual cult, the content was disappointingly real. I was hoping for a bit of magical realism or creepiness - or both! Alas, this novel was ultimately not creepy or magical.
I enjoyed Crosley's authorial voice, so I'd love to check out more of her work! Sadly, though, I don't think I'll be recommending Cult Classic to anyone I know.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for providing me with an advanced copy of Cult Classic in exchange for my honest review!
Including the word "cult" in the title is a dead giveaway that one appears in the novel. (That's about all I feel I can mention without giving anything away.) I loved the premise of someone having to revisit what are essentially the ghosts of boyfriends past before settling down for marriage. Brilliant! But when it came to the actual cult, the content was disappointingly real. I was hoping for a bit of magical realism or creepiness - or both! Alas, this novel was ultimately not creepy or magical.
I enjoyed Crosley's authorial voice, so I'd love to check out more of her work! Sadly, though, I don't think I'll be recommending Cult Classic to anyone I know.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for providing me with an advanced copy of Cult Classic in exchange for my honest review!
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual assault
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