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afabbi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, and Blood
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Racism, Sexual content, Abortion, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Pedophilia and Pregnancy
thecreature's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Murder, and Colonisation
Minor: Alcohol
buecher_und_huehner's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
I felt like I should add that, because, as I said, from a literary standpoint, this short novel does what it set out to do. If you love to read about twisted, despicable characters and the moral abysses that can lurk behind the façade of the "normal, happy family", I'd recommend this book. It just wasn't for me, at least not for now...
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Abortion
theskyboi's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The narrator is one of the least charismatic characters in the novel, which would not be an issue if his story was of any actual consequence. He floats aimlessly from assertion to assertion, dragging the reader along through his purportedly factual account of events throughout his life. All the while, the conversation happening during the actual dinner suffers from lack of care from the author.
The mystery of the book—if it can truly be called that—also gets sidelined by the narrator's incessant need to insert himself into every potential scenario, except for one that captivates the reader. Although it can be argued that the protagonist is so stubbornly opinionated in order to mock this myopic behavior in the real world, the author does not ever set up a situation that truly admonishes him for being so problematic.
Do not read this book if moments of graphic violence or racial prejudice are not something you tolerate in your reading. On the whole, the most interesting characters of the book are the wives of the men at the dinner, but their perspectives are limited to what their husbands think of them. Perhaps it was possible to find some enjoyment, but it was in spite of what the author penned.
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Chronic illness, Drug use, and Homophobia
The book depicts various violent and bigoted acts and views throughout its pages, and its narrator expresses no remorse for his neutral and sometimes approving stance on them.