annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
it had a killer prologue and a promising concept, but its execution with the titular "cult" was not my favorite. i actively disliked the journey and wanted to abandon it but pushed through. . i wish it leaned more into its mystery and grand conspiracy aspects; that would have made its bordering-on-pretentious philosophical musings on love and the human experience more bearable. the main character always had some snarky quip and after a while it became annoying, a guard put up to forgo genuinely engaging with other characters.
also, i would like to propose that the title should have been Cult Following rather than Cult Classic.
Spoiler
the prologue hinted at some unthinkable wrong Clive committed to earn him his death, but in the end it was more deus ex machinaalso, i would like to propose that the title should have been Cult Following rather than Cult Classic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Rape, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Excrement, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Blood, and Cancer
anahisa's review
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!
Content Warnings
Minor: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
corncake's review
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death
savvylit's review
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!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual assault
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