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ksenianovikova's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault
nwordsmith's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
2.75
In many ways, this book was inspired. The use of language and repetition in the narrative was masterfully executed. The book layered stories within stories and cycles of meaning. I loved the philosophical conversations between characters both human and non-corporeal. The magical realism was captivating and the mystery surrounding the pit and the bell was incredibly compelling.
Though long, I found the pacing fast enough to keep me engaged for most of the book. However somewhere around the three quarter mark, I lost interest in the narrative. It seemed to slow to the point of loosing all interest. That however is forgivable.
What I found most problematic was the language around female characters. All women and girls mentioned had almost no dimension. They appeared as mere objects in the narrative- objects of desire and over sexualization. Their motives, if discussed, were completely vapid. They were described almost exclusively in terms of how attractive they are and specifically the size of their breasts. The size of each female character’s breasts, including those of young girls were described ad nauseam. There were multiple conversations between a middle aged man and an adolescent girl about her small breasts. It was extremely uncomfortable as a reader and felt both unrealistic and unnecessary. It did not add to the story in any way. The continued discussion was disturbing and made the story hard to finish.
It could have been a truly great story but the sexism really ruined it.
Though long, I found the pacing fast enough to keep me engaged for most of the book. However somewhere around the three quarter mark, I lost interest in the narrative. It seemed to slow to the point of loosing all interest. That however is forgivable.
What I found most problematic was the language around female characters. All women and girls mentioned had almost no dimension. They appeared as mere objects in the narrative- objects of desire and over sexualization. Their motives, if discussed, were completely vapid. They were described almost exclusively in terms of how attractive they are and specifically the size of their breasts. The size of each female character’s breasts, including those of young girls were described ad nauseam. There were multiple conversations between a middle aged man and an adolescent girl about her small breasts. It was extremely uncomfortable as a reader and felt both unrealistic and unnecessary. It did not add to the story in any way. The continued discussion was disturbing and made the story hard to finish.
It could have been a truly great story but the sexism really ruined it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
franzjulz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Ideas and Metaphors were deeply intriguing. Wanted more, but satisfied...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, and Rape
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