alexh22's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexism, Death, Body horror, Violence, Physical abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Excrement
Moderate: Abortion, Lesbophobia, Gun violence, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Vomit, Racial slurs, Classism, and Hate crime
ansyb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I wanted to read this book having been inspired by Angela Carter's book Heroes and Villains. However I found it a bit disappointing. Some of the imagery and writing I enjoyed, but some of it didn't really make sense to me and felt gratuitously graphic.
I found the exploration of gender and anatomical sex (portrayed as the same thing and not separate constructs) very outdated and binary, as well as some of the feminist topics. Like other reviewers have said, I found that the main narrator's point of view was from a very white and male perspective, but to the point of the irony being lost. It felt it was promoting the protagonist's point of view rather than him learning from his experiences - though others may disagree.
I felt uncomfortable reading the book as a modern reader. It didn't feel it explored intersectional themes in a way which promoted understanding or compassion for others.
I found the exploration of gender and anatomical sex (portrayed as the same thing and not separate constructs) very outdated and binary, as well as some of the feminist topics. Like other reviewers have said, I found that the main narrator's point of view was from a very white and male perspective, but to the point of the irony being lost. It felt it was promoting the protagonist's point of view rather than him learning from his experiences - though others may disagree.
I felt uncomfortable reading the book as a modern reader. It didn't feel it explored intersectional themes in a way which promoted understanding or compassion for others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Rape, War, Racism, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Gore, Death, Torture, Slavery, Sexism, and Murder
Moderate: Excrement and Abortion
Minor: Lesbophobia
lanadeldaniel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
3.75
starstuff's review against another edition
Might be the narrator, but this just wasn’t for me.
madding78's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
suzandeniz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
scrow1022's review against another edition
3.0
Somewhat hypnotic, an apocalyptic American from British eyes. Violent, sexual, grotesque and curious (Lewis Carroll by way of Baudelaire), and makes me think of early Winterson.
severinam's review against another edition
can’t even begin to unpack and comprehend what was going on here
misha_devi's review against another edition
I didn’t get much out of this Angela Carter book. Usually, even if I don’t like them, they leave me thinking for days. This is my fourth book by the author so i knew what to expect in terms of sexual violence and disturbing themes, but I just don’t know how much of her depictions of sexual violence and degradation towards women are worth reading about. Perhaps it hits too close to home for women, and it’s men who deny the need for feminism who should her books. Also this gets pretty transphobic so out of all Carter’s books, definitely not one I would recommend to modern readers.
melekcp's review against another edition
4.0
Carter's narration is amazing, disturbing, and thought-provoking, but the sexually explicit language is a bit too much for me. One thing to be careful about this book is that the plot evolves in quite unbelievable ways but you should constantly remind yourself of the underlying motives, they are far more important.