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daniellemjoyce's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Death of parent
froon's review against another edition
3.0
my favorite things: the scene at the beginning between anna and her mother where anna is unnecessarily cruel (oh heartache), the relationship between leah and anna, and the chapters in the latter half of part two.
while i found the commentary on social media to be true, it lacked a lot of subtleties. we were perched right on the nose. also, part three became incessantly preachy to the point where it feels like the author is turning to the reader to say “hi, this is my thesis statement." the writing was interesting, but a lot of the l.a storylines weren’t super engaging. that is a similar problem with the flash forwards to the aesthetica(tm).
overall, it was good! nothing that i would rave about. ofc the mother/daughter storyline was my favorite; i’m nothing but predictable.
while i found the commentary on social media to be true, it lacked a lot of subtleties. we were perched right on the nose. also, part three became incessantly preachy to the point where it feels like the author is turning to the reader to say “hi, this is my thesis statement." the writing was interesting, but a lot of the l.a storylines weren’t super engaging. that is a similar problem with the flash forwards to the aesthetica(tm).
overall, it was good! nothing that i would rave about. ofc the mother/daughter storyline was my favorite; i’m nothing but predictable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault
cassie7e's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A social horror story wrapped in literary prose. I had a hard time getting through this one. It describes a world of social media and influencing that is both very real and very disconnected from any experience I've had. Makes me want to distance myself from social media even though my usage is nothing like that of the characters and followers in this book. The way posting on instagram takes over her mind and how she perceives every moment is unsettling.
I wish the book had focused more on life after the Aesthetica treatment and transitioning to look like a more "naturally aged" person, but this seems to just be the frame story from which we see flashbacks to the character getting swept up in the modeling/influencer trajectory that turns awful.
CW: drug abuse, sexual assault, cancer, loss of parent
I wish the book had focused more on life after the Aesthetica treatment and transitioning to look like a more "naturally aged" person, but this seems to just be the frame story from which we see flashbacks to the character getting swept up in the modeling/influencer trajectory that turns awful.
CW: drug abuse, sexual assault, cancer, loss of parent
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
chicagobelle's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
Minor: Sexual assault
toephia's review against another edition
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Misogyny, and Medical content
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Vomit and Car accident
freckledfemale's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Medical trauma
maggielawler's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Sexual assault
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Eating disorder, and Death of parent
morethanmylupus's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
3.0
This was a really hard read. I think it's important to think about the impacts of social media and the influencer lifestyle, but it was hard to watch her devolve.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
samuriah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
torixcat's review against another edition
3.5
feel like fans of patricia lockwood's "no one is talking about this" would enjoy
"Natural is better than prosthetic. Natural is moral. Natural connotes a certain kind of woman, a peaceful wise-woman, a woman like my mother. This is the logic I've let guilt me, guide me; this is the woman I've been trying to become. I have long considered Aesthetica the last step in returning myself to this better, natural state. Even if I could be natural only artificially; even if I could be natural only in death. But I survived." (pg 193)
took a while for me to get through this book but mostly because rowbottom's critiques on social media and the physical vs the digital self really hit hard and essentially led me to spiral and contemplate my own online persona. however the actual story fell below my expectations (and i don't really know what i was expecting).
i would say that fans who enjoyed "no one is talking about this" would like this book for similar feelings, but also because they have a common plot device of using another character's illness as the contrast whatever is happening in the digital world. i think because of that similarity, i felt like the story wasn't as sharp for me.
really would be interested to see what this author writes next!!
"Natural is better than prosthetic. Natural is moral. Natural connotes a certain kind of woman, a peaceful wise-woman, a woman like my mother. This is the logic I've let guilt me, guide me; this is the woman I've been trying to become. I have long considered Aesthetica the last step in returning myself to this better, natural state. Even if I could be natural only artificially; even if I could be natural only in death. But I survived." (pg 193)
took a while for me to get through this book but mostly because rowbottom's critiques on social media and the physical vs the digital self really hit hard and essentially led me to spiral and contemplate my own online persona. however the actual story fell below my expectations (and i don't really know what i was expecting).
really would be interested to see what this author writes next!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent