Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Aesthetica by Allie Rowbottom

18 reviews

sarah984's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Very preachy and unpleasant writing, a lot of mean spirited railing against straw libfems the author imagines on Instagram. The #MeToo plotline is poorly integrated and resolves in a stupid, nothing way.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Fatphobia, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Confinement, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Self harm, Excrement, and Car accident

stellahadz's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Aesthetica is both futuristic and deeply rooted in the present, which sounds contradictory but isn't really, given how quickly the landscape of social media changes and how trends, from clothing to makeup to body parts, seem to cycle every week. The book's premise is fascinating, and Rowbottom's prose is excellent. I'm usually wary of books that heavily reference social media or internet slang, because it immediately dates the text and runs the risk of making it obsolete within a few years. However, I think Aesthetica works because its themes (#MeToo, the dangers of social media fame, plastic surgery, and generational differences in approaches to feminism) are very timely, and the use of emojis, @ symbols, and slang actually drive the story rather than making it "cringe" as the kids say. I wonder how many articles, memoirs, and tell-all pieces we'll see in the next 10-15 years from people like the main character, Anna.

It took me some time to get into the story, and I wish the ending had provided a little more closure, but it was fantastically written and I loved how it explored important and relevant themes. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Medical content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Car accident

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cancer, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Death of parent

Minor: Vomit

rubbercitykitten's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief and Sexual harassment

Minor: Medical content

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

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

wichbich's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Mom death

. This is a huge theme of the book that is not hinted at at all in the description so please proceed with caution as it could be quite triggering. I was not expecting to encounter this at all but I would say it encompasses the bulk of the story. 

This was an interesting book with an interesting idea. I would say the experience of the narrator is very specific and I don't agree with her a lot of the time. That doesn't make her wrong but her voice is often sort of grandiose as she discusses ideas of universal morals so it does feel a but like being fed a worldview. 

Overall this book feels like less of a narrative and more like a reflection on loss, trauma, and image in the midst of an attempt to realign oneself through even more trauma (and some light stalking). 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit and Car accident

ohennui's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Cancer, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

lowbrowhighart's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Fatphobia, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility and Car accident