Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Either/Or, by Elif Batuman

17 reviews

karabeavis's review

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funny informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I struggled with this one. On the one hand, the writing is incredible, and sure, and phrases like “the tap coughed” are brilliant and stuck in my mind. Plus, it’s set in Harvard and the ins and outs of a peer group of talented, precocious students from all over the world: this should be an interesting premise. But I found the book excruciating at times and kind of just finished it to be able to tick it off the list as read. 

For me, the main character is hard to identify with and have empathy for. Despite having a really cool mum who is a no—nonsense doctor, who is in regular contact, the protagonist is hapless, and
Spoiler the sex she finally ends up having is absolutely awful. There doesn’t seem to be even a single pleasurable encounter. In fact, pleasure doesn’t come into it. The character is totally neurotic, an American thing I observe in American sitcoms etc. It’s really hard to like her.
. I understand it’s set in the 1990s —  I’m the same age as the author so that was my adolescent period too. This character is empowered in some ways but also naive! She wants to live a little, which is kind of the point of the last third of the book.

Back to the writing which is layer upon layer of cultural literature references: the book is thoroughly researched and self-consciously clever. I loved the description of Selin’s time spent at her grandmother’s house in Turkey. 

Overall highly esoteric and inwardly gazing. I kind of like the sophisticated world the character moves in, but at the same time, I loathe it. I don’t know: I wanted to like this more than I did. I know there’s a buzz around it and that many adore it!
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tatjanasbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing tense 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? Yes

5.0

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moonbeamreads's review against another edition

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Big tw: rape and dubious consent regarding most of the sex scenes

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lybe's review

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  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

I enjoyed The Idiot but this just fell flat. Batuman's extraordinary humour that was such a big contribution to why its predecessor was and is so popular is still there (and I did laugh out loud several times, thank you very much) but the novel as a whole feels tedious and lacklustre. Batuman's interviews surrounding its publication were truly interesting but those ideas and concepts are just murmuring around in the background and rarely ever transpire superficially in a naïve (American?) way.
I would have most likely DNF'd this if I hadn't been listening to the audiobook.

Spoiler The amount of mostly unreflected r*p* scenes in this? What's with that?
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sylviaplathsbitch's review against another edition

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funny reflective slow-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

5.0

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lghrndn's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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dillyoz's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective medium-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

3.75

The ending was very disappointing and soured an otherwise engaging read. Selin is reflective, relatable, whimsical and it’s fun to read her reflections in daily life. It starts off strong and easy to devour but the ending was honestly upsetting. 
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oknora's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.5

there are parts of this that i loved, and other parts that made me think that THE IDIOT just came into my life at the perfect time personally and that's why it resonated so much. or maybe that's just a better book than this one (i haven't revisited it before reading this). the strongest parts of this novel are when selin is observing people around her, analyzing them, comparing herself to them—this time i was less charmed by all the diversions into her observations on literature/philosophy even though i understand that's kind of the point. this also goes into some really dark places that i wasn't prepared for, and although i'd say the last hundred pages hooked me the most, there are parts that are so destructive it took me out of the story and i found myself pushing to skim to the end. i'm glad i read it just because i enjoy selin as a character but i feel like THE IDIOT is more compelling in its directionality and focus.
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babettes's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-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

4.5

completely blew me away. Watching Selin's growth, how the books she reads and the movies she watches, in addition to her actual living life, move the story is so well done. I relate to a lot to her in the beginning. Her staunch protection of her flawed mother mirrors my sentiments towards my father. The way she still is obsessed with someone  and tries to create a narrative out of those feelings. However in the last quarter of the book we lose our similarities. She, pushed by the other women in her life all getting into relationships, seeks out the uncomfortable companionship of men. I understand that part of what the text is trying to get at that the decisions she is making aren't good ones, but it's still hard to watch. But that just is a testament to the greatness of the character. Selin is my friend, I don't want her to be forced to do anal using sunscreen as lube! 
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zetafiction's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It's been a very long time since I've felt myself so strongly in a book's protagonist-- Selin is so precious to me-- and there are thoughts she thinks and questions she asks that I didn't know another person might ever have thought. Selin is so precious to me and I'm so grateful to Batuman for her. Looking forward to the next book and Selin's eventual coming out.
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