wichbich's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Spoiler
Mom deathThis was an interesting book with an interesting idea. I would say the experience of the narrator is very specific and I don't agree with her a lot of the time. That doesn't make her wrong but her voice is often sort of grandiose as she discusses ideas of universal morals so it does feel a but like being fed a worldview.
Overall this book feels like less of a narrative and more like a reflection on loss, trauma, and image in the midst of an attempt to realign oneself through even more trauma (and some light stalking).
Graphic: Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Drug use
Moderate: Chronic illness, Rape, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Addiction, Medical content, Self harm, Alcoholism, Body horror, Grief, and Sexual assault
Minor: Car accident and Vomit
lowbrowhighart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Medical trauma, Vomit, Eating disorder, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Drug use, Medical content, Terminal illness, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Body horror, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Sexual content, and Cancer
Minor: Car accident and Infertility
tigger89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Something I appreciated about this title was how realistic the portrayal of social media addiction was, specifically the slide into seeing everything — no matter how personal — as something to be exploited for internet points. I've never gone for instagram, but I've experienced enough dopamine hits on other platforms to recognize the danger there. She was also spot-on when describing diet culture, particularly how it's passed inter-generationally from mother to daughter. The way this was written was chilling enough that it could be a source of horror to some, though it was a little too close to my own experiences growing up for it to land that way for me.
I don't think that I agree with what appears to be the author's message, that women can't be truly empowered when under misogynistic influences — which is all of us, everywhere, all the time. But this argument winds up removing agency from the oppressed even as it claims to protect it, as it merely replaces those harmful influences with a different set of boilerplate rules for "how to be empowered," which might not be a good fit for every individual! I think the concerns raised in this book are good to be aware of, as it certainly is a thing that happens, but there's no clear answer here with regard to what to actually do to fight this effect.
Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Drug use, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Grief, Rape, Vomit, and Medical content
Minor: Infertility
jaimee_reads's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
Graphic: Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Death of parent, Alcohol, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Grief, Body shaming, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Drug use, Rape, Misogyny, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Mental illness, Gore, Body horror, Cancer, Bullying, and Chronic illness
mondovertigo's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Rape, Body shaming, Cancer, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault
freshprincessofmelayers's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Eating disorder and Addiction
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Rape
mamawantsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Rape, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Addiction
kaiulanilee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Drug use, Body shaming, Sexism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Death, and Addiction
spaceseagull321's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Drug use, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Vomit, Car accident, Cancer, and Cursing
amobrien's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Aesthetica is an incredibly provocative and poignant commentary on influencer culture, plastic surgery, and the way body types go in and out of "style." This novel touches on mother/daughter relationships, friendship, addiction, abuse of power, self-image, feminism, illness, social media... the list can go on. I was so impressed with how it tackled so many subjects in such a compelling way. Aesthetica is the type of story that's a bit difficult when you're first getting into it but you soon find yourself unable to turn away. If you were a fan of My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Aesthetica has a very similar narrative voice that I think you'll enjoy!
Graphic: Sexual assault, Cancer, Terminal illness, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Rape, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent and Addiction
Minor: Vomit