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lydiature_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
i read gaitskill’s short story “this is pleasure” in the beginning of the year and was completely blown away by it. so when i saw this book, i knew i had to give it a shot.
the writing style is unlike anything i have read this year. it’s nasty, biting, sharp & raw. and it makes sense- gaitskill explores the complexities of family and how it contributes to trauma. specifically child sexual abuse. she’s completely honest with the trauma that justine and dorothy undergo—so if child abuse and rape are sensitive topics to you, i don’t recommend this. the content is very graphic, and those detailed aspects remind me of “a little life.”
the chapters are told in alternating POVs and they (i think) were specifically designed that way. dorothy’s chapters are in first person POV and justine’s chapters are in third person POV. it makes sense. although both women have dealt with awful things in their childhood, they handle them differently. dorothy is of course traumatized but she is more transparent with her past and is willing to move forward. this is demonstrated in the end when she rescues justine from a particular (disgusting) sexual partner. the 3rd person POV choice in justine’s chapters reflect a distance. it’s not supposed to be personal. i can’t remember where but justine made a remark (to herself) about wearing a cloak in defense.
the parents in this book SUCK, full disclosure. firstly, dorothy’s father because he was an abusive creepy rapist—and a hypocrite on top of that. again—very descriptive. her mother was basically just ✨there✨ she had a feeling that her daughter was getting raped by her husband but didn’t want to say anything. women like her DISGUST me. justine’s parents were basically nonexistent and not supportive. her mother knew about the molestation because justine told her. her response made me livid.
the overall story was well-written, but extremely heavy. the only negative things i have to say: 1) the characters didn’t really feel personal to me but i can see why. they went through unbelievable pain growing up and the closed off behavior could be interpreted as a self-defense mechanism. 2) i wasn’t particularly interested in the philosophical component. i definitely see that dorothy used that to heal from her trauma but i just wasn’t interested. i did not find the ideals compelling. 3) since the book was largely about granite’s principles, i was expecting more. i thought gaitskill would delve more into granite as a person, but she didn’t. i was kinda disappointed.
i think you will like this if you loved “the lying life of adults” by elena ferrante and “a little life” by hanya yanagihara.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Rape
Moderate: Bullying
carrotchimera's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
chaoscat's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape, and Self harm
catsrgray's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, and Excrement
Moderate: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Torture
Minor: Body shaming
eurybia's review against another edition
My god, I did NOT know what I had signed up for with this book. It seems to me this book is very oversexualised even when the author is talking about kids. I know that the point of this book is to show how people grow up to be the adults they are but my god, this is too much for me. Also the first and second part felt very disjointed to me and there was absolutely no way of distinguishing the two girls once we turned to the flashback scenes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
hanleest's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, and Death of parent
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