The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
fromatreebranch's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
it was easy to finish.
and difficult to read.
easy: i really like
the pacing, voice,
characterization.
difficult:
1. I... am studying my eye
for desire politics...
this book was useful
in this regard --
the narrator's discussion
of self, Whoopi
("magical negro trope"/fixation
with Whoopi and her body),
and/in relation with every other
person/subject in the book.
2. This personĀ
is really hurting.
p.s.
did not realize
until now thatĀ
her name -- we do
not ever get it!
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Grief, Self harm, Drug use, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Abortion, Medical content, Misogyny, Child abuse, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Addiction, Animal death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Cancer
kry_yang's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
also screaming bc i found out moshfegh writes a lot about butt stuff. like, miss ottessa you are one hell of a white woman i must say
Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Misogyny, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Eating disorder
spooderman's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Death, Vomit, Animal death, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Mental illness, Abandonment, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Xenophobia, and Lesbophobia
Minor: War, Racism, Cursing, Abortion, Miscarriage, Classism, Confinement, Medical trauma, Islamophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Medical content
lvwieland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Eating disorder, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Confinement
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Xenophobia, Cancer, and Alcohol
Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy
jjabbathehutt's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Self harm, Drug use, Mental illness, Addiction, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Body shaming
cjmrand's review
2.0
I just want to put a little disclaimer here for the supporters of Let Women be Toxic in Books:
1. I agree that women should not be portrayed in the two dimensional, lack-luster ways they tend to be portrayed in literature under the patriarchal gaze, whether that's a submissive, meek, housewife or a sex object for men's enjoyment, ESPECIALLY when mentally ill (cough cough, The Queen's Gambit on Netflix - women don't tend to be sexy and put together in a way that is palatable for men when depressed). My review is not a criticism of the idea of letting women - especially those with mental illness - be a hot fucking mess. Ok, next.
2. I understand WHY every single one of these techniques, or motifs, etc were used in this text, I don't dislike this because I feel the author failed to connect these techniques to the character well enough - I dislike this because I don't like the techniques. They are not for me, they might be for you. Done.
Here is where I insert my notes, which sums everything up quite well:
"I'm thinking of giving this 2 stars right now. Not because it's bad, but because I'm not enjoying it - and I get that I'm supposed to not be enjoying it. I get that, I really do, but the main character is awful and I hate it. I know she is supposed to be awful and hated and that's why so many people give it 5 stars because it's wonderfully written but I just. Don't. Like it.
I don't like to explicit sexual descriptions, I don't like the 00s diet culture and slurs and misogyny.
I don't like the lack of empathy held by the main character, I don't like her selfishness, I don't like how she treats Reva.
I know that all of this is intentionally done, but I personally read to enjoy and to learn - this book just leaves me feeling a bit crap. So no, I'm not having fun."
There were points where I would doubt my judgement and think 'well maybe this is actually a good book, a book I can rate highly - look at this beautiful peace of writing, look at the emotions elicited in me when Moshfegh does x, look at this genius plotline - but that feeling always came crashing down quickly when it all became overwhelmingly unpleasant again.
I liked the end reasonably well, but the ending itself I would only rate at a 3 stars, the rest of the book drags it down to 2 though.
I was also worried that giving my copy to charity could lead to someone young picking it up, I can see this being really damaging for a secondary school aged kid, but I know that someone like me probably would've picked it up in secondary school. So, yeah. Look after your mental health. You don't need to read this book. If you did like it, I'm glad, but I hope you don't recommend it to anyone who can't cope well with the topics in these books. So yeah.
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Classism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Alcohol
Moderate: Grief, Death, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexism
whimsofwands's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Misogyny, and Eating disorder
madyreadsig's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Cursing, Alcohol, Body shaming, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Eating disorder
sangavisugumar's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Misogyny, and Sexual violence
hclin's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Terminal illness, Violence, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty