Reviews

Living Things by Munir Hachemi

isaatje's review

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3.5

does not pass the bechdel test

elliesbrains's review

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Despite being very short I knew very early on it wouldn’t be for me 

fabulousdave's review

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challenging dark sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

dukegregory's review against another edition

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3.0

A novel about what's at stake when we narrativize reality via both fictive and diaristic means. The labyrinthine aspect of Hachemi's work is the slippage between novel and diary, not in the sense that the novel acts as Hachemi's actual diary (though the protagonist does share his name and background) but in the sense that this is a novel in conversation with a fictional diary that is being amended and recreated by the protagonist years after the fictional diary was purportedly written. To call this an eco-thriller or a work of literary horror is a bit of a misnomer, but tension is present both narratively and formally. Hachemi makes it all a bit obvious early on, explicitly naming many of his reference points, including a humorously shady reflection on Hemingway and the iceberg theory of short fiction. Yet, regardless of its overtness, Living Things is rather compulsive and presents a playful rendering of privilege and paranoia in contemporary Europe as corporate interests may or may not be wreaking havoc in ways both expected and otherwise.

leannkl's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

shaznibrahim's review

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informative medium-paced

4.0

minareads1b360's review

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

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

alexhaydon's review

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This was a very easy and enjoyable read. The narrative voice seems intentionally arrogant at times and this adds to the darkly comically lines. I felt like some threads of tension or mystery were left unfinished which definitely left me feeling like the eco-thriller label wasn’t quite accurate. For all the gushing over Bolaño, Borges and Kafka I would’ve loved a bit more speculative themes but alas. I think it was written very well and fluently, and I’m intrigued to read another of this authors work. 
Sanches is quickly become a super translator to me 🥳

luciamf's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

houstonh's review

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adventurous challenging funny inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5