Reviews

Mona by Pola Oloixarac

Only show reviews with written explanations

grace_tokarski's review

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

apazc_'s review

Go to review page

5.0

Este libro se siente como una fiebre delirante. Como la autora, el lector se encuentra en un perpetúo estado de ensoñación al leer el libro. Acompañada de una sátira aguda al mundo académico y literario, la autora nos deja entrever cierta putrefacción que se sustenta en este espacio. Esta tendrá muchas caras, sea el cinismo, las cuotas de representación, la egolatría, la parafernalia y las máscaras. Aspectos que al final del libro serán vengados por la corriente marítima. En la novela acompañamos a Mona, una escritora amazónica peruana, quien es invitada en calidad de nominada a los Premio Basske-Wortz en Suecia. La narrativa se desarrolla en este viaje, altamente erótico e insufriblemente asfixiante.
Perteneciente al género de 'Thriller', este libro se entrecruza entre estados de alucinación excitante y reflexión en cuanto a la condición femenina en una cultura altamente misógina, maquillada por un supuesto decoro institucional.

itsbeanefun's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark fast-paced

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

2.5

tinktonk's review

Go to review page

dark mysterious

2.5

Content Warnings

aj_16_'s review

Go to review page

2.0

yes the narrator is absolutely unreliable and insufferable.

i don't like the way the author has explored the theme of rape and violence,
it has been built up to an unnecessary and unsatisfactory crescendo and seems a
haphazard, insincere attempt at most.

i can understand the ending, but the added theme of supernatural suspense was
absolutely inessential.

i can see that she's letting the entire truth of what happened consume her entirely
and she's killing off the narcissistic, unloving, selfish people who call themselves
writers. people who are supposed to inspire love aren't very lovely themselves.

but this could all be happening in her mind, and we will never know.

needless to say i did not enjoy this book. it's a very different genre to what i usually
read. but i would not like to read another book by this author if all of them follow the
same pattern.

there are some good quotes and food for thought and ideas that the book provokes.
the writing feels like the author was thinking this is very clever but didn't manage to
give us any actual substance.

dominikamis's review

Go to review page

2.0

2.5/5 fest vôbec nie môj vkus mala som svoj voucher minúť na niečo iné :(((

cwalsh's review

Go to review page

4.0

Bizarre, sexy, and smart. I appreciated the social and political commentary sprinkled throughout (especially regarding South America) and loved Oloixarac's subtle digs at contemporary writers and the literary community as a whole.

There's a lot going on in this this little book - flashbacks, trauma, literary awards, dinners, beach scenes, etc. - and up until chapter nine I think the book progresses extremely well. However, I think the pacing of the last two chapters did the book a disservice. While it definitely has its flaws (perhaps it's a literal lost-in-translation situation?), I really enjoyed Mona.

Probably more of a 3.5, but rounding it up to four stars because I just like books about smart, fucked-up women doing drugs and losing their shit. Also this cover is everything.