Reviews

Bezimena by Nina Bunjevac

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cantordustbunnies's review against another edition

3.0

Harsh, cold, and mysterious. Bunjevac leaves the audience to figure out her message which is shrouded in metaphor. This graphic novel certainly is of literary quality but is lacking in the nitty-gritty of plot. Without the interesting delivery, visual elements, and puzzling ending this wouldn't have been an especially well crafted look at a predator. A number of psychological elements don't ring true and Bunjevac's portrayal of insanity is stereotyped and two-dimensional (although maybe it was purposefully those things?) The pacing is also rushed. You can definitely tell this is written by someone who is criticizing "rape culture" and has something to say about society, as opposed to someone genuinely exploring the mind of a rapist. The things that bring this work together are the wonderful art and the mythological, esoteric underpinnings. This work can be interpreted on any number of different levels and through different lenses but lends itself to a feminist one (because it is, after all, Canadian). Something I do find tiresome is the obsession stories with a feminist bend have with "reversing roles." It's actually pretty trite and predictable at this point, like how many times can they write "Orlando"? Anyway, I did ultimately like this work. The narration is simple yet powerful. What really clinches everything is the ending which is shockingly yet perfectly abrupt and serves to lead one deeper into the work.

mastranquilo's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Beautiful art style, complicated story, powerful afterword.

Content Warnings

inumakitoge's review against another edition

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TW: Sexual assault, rape

It is necessary to read the Author’s Afterword.

robeus_30's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

rvareader's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

sarahmvw1's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

nyx's review against another edition

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5.0

What a horrific perspective dalliance of sexual assault, particularly of minors. We seldom experience the blindness yearning causes in the perpetrator, and though this is only alleged or imagined, it is still a deep look into potential insanity driven by lust and its repercussions - for both the victim and the perpetrator.

Perhaps the text even alludes to the idea that the sexual perpetrator is flawed in true vision, and should be also pitied, when Bezimena asks “who were you crying for?”.

kansass's review against another edition

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4.0

Esta novela gráfica sigue las andanzas de Benny, un chico que desde pequeño parece obesesionado por el sexo compulsivamente, tanto que cuando se hace adulto su obsesión le convierte en una especie de acosador sexual. Esto es a grandes rasgos de lo que va la historia, sin embargo, las imágenes en blanco y negro de Nina Bunjevac contienen más información, más pistas de un puzzle que las que en un principio parecen. Y la nota de la autora al final de esta novela. nos revela ya por fin de que va esta historia sin tapujos pero hay que llegar al final para entenderlo del todo. Bajo el punto de vista de las andazas de un acosador, Nina Bunjevac nos está hablando de todo un mundo onirico donde la fantasia sexual y los traumas reprimidos se van revelando.

La novela está repleta de simbolismo: el cabello de Betty la Blanca, un surrealismo al más puro estilo Cocteau, los bosques, la luna, el búho, los espejos y ese voyeurismo compulsivo que no sólo nos está hablando de Benny sino de una sociedad que parece hacer oidos sordos a todos esos atisbos de violencia sexual que la habita. Tengo que echarle el guante a [b:Fatherland|18803652|Fatherland|Nina Bunjevac|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1396227690l/18803652._SX50_.jpg|26732109] y [b:Heartless|15902984|Heartless|Nina Bunjevac|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1420686090l/15902984._SX50_.jpg|21653828].