Reviews

I cannot keep reading this book. It became genuinely torturous. There are only so many times a man can read the word quim before he starts to want to die. The sex scenes were weird. Like, weird weird. I like some of the most raunchy kink and fetish content, and can read it without so much as a blink, but this was too much even for me. The scene where the love interest masturbates with a small toy horse was the moment I realized I just couldn’t continue reading. I’m amazed I made it that far.

aliendonut's review against another edition

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2.25

5 - Loved
4 - Really liked it
3 - Liked it
2 - it was ok
1 - didn't like it

I really wanted to like it when I read the summary. I felt disconnected from what was happening. It may have been because of the footnotes don't translate well to digital copies. I tried to like it but just didn't

clara206's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

shawnapantzke's review against another edition

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adventurous funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

macroscopicentric's review against another edition

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adventurous informative mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I was really confused when I started reading this because nothing in the basic blurb prepared me for it being a postmodern faux-academic frame story. But House of Leaves could never. I was thrilled when I realized all of the sources were 100% real and things I could look up and access. I loved the what-ifness of rewriting the assumed identities of Jack, Bess, and Aurie. I loved the unhinged absurdist fantasy (???) vibes of the footnotes about the editor’s personal life and professional struggles. And I especially loved the way the context around the fictional manuscript and narrative grew as the book went on, as the “original” manuscript became shrouded in layers upon layers of historical context and commentary like it was an onion and they all got peeled back again.

Would especially recommend if you’ve read and enjoyed any of: Dead Collections, Borges, Finna, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

serving_goffman's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

misiekisoscillating's review against another edition

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5.0

I can’t even form clever or coherent words right now. This was so important to me it hurt at times to read. Forever grateful for this book and grateful to my beloved sister for introducing it to me. Oh this was just gorgeous and foul, disgusting and beautiful.

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