ericawrites's review against another edition
4.0
Most of this was like an intense BDSM scene without aftercare. Until the dog at the end.
kjboldon's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, my. These sentences, with their clauses drawn out, looped up with commas. The prose is so lush and warm I want to wrap myself in it, like a blanket. And the sex? Oh, wow, the sex. Rough on the bodies but tender at the heart. This book a stunning mix of sacred and profane. Dreamy.
beholdtheanimals's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars.
Oh, my heart. This book is definitely written in a similar mode to that of What Belongs to You (yes, comparison can be very silly but I mean, there are so many similarities that it would perhaps be just as silly to not consider Greenwell's last novel while reading this one) but it felt so much fuller to me.
I wasn't equally in love with all parts of it, but by the end I was both won over and left thinking about so many of the things Greenwell grapples with here. Many parts of this just fucking hurt to experience, and while that's not the only (or even the greatest) measure of literature's power, I think in this case it's proof of the fact that Greenwell is just so fucking good at dealing with an intense, varied spectrum of emotion and thought.
Also, no spoilers, but THAT ENDING. So many feelings. I will ache from this for quite a while. Thanks, Garth Greenwell.
Oh, my heart. This book is definitely written in a similar mode to that of What Belongs to You (yes, comparison can be very silly but I mean, there are so many similarities that it would perhaps be just as silly to not consider Greenwell's last novel while reading this one) but it felt so much fuller to me.
I wasn't equally in love with all parts of it, but by the end I was both won over and left thinking about so many of the things Greenwell grapples with here. Many parts of this just fucking hurt to experience, and while that's not the only (or even the greatest) measure of literature's power, I think in this case it's proof of the fact that Greenwell is just so fucking good at dealing with an intense, varied spectrum of emotion and thought.
Also, no spoilers, but THAT ENDING. So many feelings. I will ache from this for quite a while. Thanks, Garth Greenwell.
stitching_ghost's review against another edition
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book.
It was clearly not for me and I knew it wasn't when I picked it up. I do not like sex scenes (I'm generally repulsed but them) and I knew from the get go that this book included memorable sex scenes, but the author managed to write these scenes in a way that they didn't make me feel icky so I have to give him credit for that but I don't know if the stories really conveyed anything much other than the beautiful prose.
Since I'm unsure about my feelings about this book I will, for now at least, not give it a star rating.
It was clearly not for me and I knew it wasn't when I picked it up. I do not like sex scenes (I'm generally repulsed but them) and I knew from the get go that this book included memorable sex scenes, but the author managed to write these scenes in a way that they didn't make me feel icky so I have to give him credit for that but I don't know if the stories really conveyed anything much other than the beautiful prose.
Since I'm unsure about my feelings about this book I will, for now at least, not give it a star rating.
lampost15's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- 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
4.75
effiereads's review against another edition
4.0
“I wanted to root into him, even as the wind said all rootedness was a sham, there were only passing arrangements, makeshift shelters and poor harbors, I love you, I thought suddenly in that rush that makes so much seem possible, I love you, anything I am you have use for is yours.”
Cleanness is little fragments of life that build to a bigger picture just like in most novels. But it felt different here. Our protagonist lives in this collection of short stories, going about his daily life in Sofia and exploring his inner most thoughts.
I've found another author who can take the mundane, the simple, and turn it into one of the most beautiful explorations of the human spirit. Another author for which the writing style is so unique - no quotation marks, no sense of time, no character names. All that we’re given is where he is and what he’s feeling/needing at that moment.
Cleanness is a book about desire in all forms. Desire for sex, pain, love, intimacy, dominance, release, connection. The feelings of shame regarding sex, regarding less traditional sex, and on top of that, queer sex. This book had some of the most intense sex scenes I have ever read. Full chapters/short stories dedicated to sexual encounters that seem to give our protagonist some sense of comfort or understanding of himself and his wants.
Halfway through I realized maybe I should have read his first novel to fully understand the character and his motivations but I feel like I got it, got him. I won't say that I connect with all the content of the book but I surely felt it all. The prose is beautiful, the imagery sharp, and our protagonist sorrowful - a perfect combination.
The content of Cleanness is Very Adult, so please read with that in mind. It is graphic and obscene and kinda brutal (especially the second chapter) and should not be read by the faint of heart.
Cleanness is little fragments of life that build to a bigger picture just like in most novels. But it felt different here. Our protagonist lives in this collection of short stories, going about his daily life in Sofia and exploring his inner most thoughts.
I've found another author who can take the mundane, the simple, and turn it into one of the most beautiful explorations of the human spirit. Another author for which the writing style is so unique - no quotation marks, no sense of time, no character names. All that we’re given is where he is and what he’s feeling/needing at that moment.
Cleanness is a book about desire in all forms. Desire for sex, pain, love, intimacy, dominance, release, connection. The feelings of shame regarding sex, regarding less traditional sex, and on top of that, queer sex. This book had some of the most intense sex scenes I have ever read. Full chapters/short stories dedicated to sexual encounters that seem to give our protagonist some sense of comfort or understanding of himself and his wants.
Halfway through I realized maybe I should have read his first novel to fully understand the character and his motivations but I feel like I got it, got him. I won't say that I connect with all the content of the book but I surely felt it all. The prose is beautiful, the imagery sharp, and our protagonist sorrowful - a perfect combination.
The content of Cleanness is Very Adult, so please read with that in mind. It is graphic and obscene and kinda brutal (especially the second chapter) and should not be read by the faint of heart.
doughboyy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jenna_cross's review against another edition
4.0
This book takes place in Bulgaria which is a country I have little knowledge of and had never read a story set there. I really liked the main character’s journey and inner thoughts. I will be looking to read the authors first book.
unabirraecentopaginealgiorno's review against another edition
1.0
Forse sono troppo vecchio. Volevo già abbandonare questo libro al secondo racconto, schifato, quando "di colpo la mia bocca si riempi' di calore, pungente e amaro, era la sua urina."
Il sesso tra gay raccontato esplicitamente lo avevo già letto 40 anni fa scritto da Busi e Tondelli, ed allora mi aveva fatto un effetto diametralmente opposto. Eh sì, sono innegabilmente troppo vecchio.
Il sesso tra gay raccontato esplicitamente lo avevo già letto 40 anni fa scritto da Busi e Tondelli, ed allora mi aveva fatto un effetto diametralmente opposto. Eh sì, sono innegabilmente troppo vecchio.
stubbornbones's review against another edition
5.0
Now this is a BOOK.
It takes some chops to write sex scenes that are simultaneously erotic and successfully exploring emotional nuance, but my favorite thing about it was how it subtly embodies discovering the world of issues and stories you encounter when you first leave the US as a 20-something.
It takes some chops to write sex scenes that are simultaneously erotic and successfully exploring emotional nuance, but my favorite thing about it was how it subtly embodies discovering the world of issues and stories you encounter when you first leave the US as a 20-something.