Reviews

The Exhibitionist by Charlotte Mendelson

bookmonsterally's review against another edition

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This just felt like such hard work. The writing flow was all over the place for me and I couldn’t engage with the characters in any way. 

caitcat123's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i read one day it’s so compelling. I forget what truly good writing does to you until I stumble soon it as I did here. I will read anything Charlotte Mendleson writes after reading this

veve_reads's review against another edition

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medium-paced

2.0

kirstiejayhawk's review

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challenging dark funny reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

tavi_c's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-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

3.0

hilaryelliott's review against another edition

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2.0

Really disliked this! Just felt very repetitive and unimaginative (having read Daughters of Jerusalem last year, this copies many of the major moments/plot twists). Very annoying bourgeois types all around and PLEASE do your research before writing about characters! The school teacher would not have been teaching “Year” anything if teaching in Edinburgh. She also would not have been teaching Tudor history in Scottish schools so please refrain from irrelevantly and inaccurately dropping the name of Anne Boleyn!

etinney's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very solid analysis of the consequences of narcissism and emotional abuse on the lives of those around them. You're so frustrated at and sympathetic towards all of these characters as they deal with the abuse of the patriarch of the family. I also appreciated the discussion of sexism, patriarchy, and the ways in which queer yearning can be freeing and terrifying in the face of heteronormativity.
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c_ward68's review against another edition

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3.0

I really liked the writing style of this book very much but the characters were infuriating to the point of just wanting to stop. Beautifully read by the wonderful Juliet Stevenson, who can make anything interesting.

bookishlyblonde_'s review against another edition

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dark reflective 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

2.0

leeuh1997's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

very confusing, i can see this idea having potential to be good i just don’t think it was executed fully. it felt too scattered in all the different plot points & didn’t really have a satisfying ending for how much i hated the dad