Scan barcode
pligorio's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
barbbc3's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book. It was funny and different, but the information on the meat industry will definitely get you thinking about going organic or vegetarian.
orlily's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
vupasana's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up only because I loved A Tale for the Time Being so much. I really enjoyed the lists of Shonagon's Pillow Book serving as a transcendental bridge between Akiko and Jane. Ruth's beautiful ability to meander between different realms and stories in A Tale for the Time Being was something I adored and I was reminded of that here.
Clenching my teeth as nausea alternated with forgiveness; he was an essentially decent man but a participant of ignorance; he is dangerous but some things he says makes sense - Jane's pendulating narrative of those she interacts with was so poignant - indeed nothing is simple.
Although I didn't enjoy the interlogues of statistics on DES, feed, antibiotic resistance... Ruth said it best: "Coming at us like this- in waves, massed and unbreachable-knowledge becomes symbolic of our disempowerment-becomes bad knowledge-so we deny it riding its crest until it subsides from consciousness...live in a perpetual state of repressed panic. We are paralyzed by bad knowledge, from which the only escape is playing dumb. Ignorance becomes empowering because it enables people to live. Stupidity becomes proactive, a political statement. Our collective norm."
I typically shy away from texts regarding meat-eating.... I don't think its inherently wrong, but the sites of production festering with disease and corruption were never really on my mind. I think this is relevant to every inconvenient truth that we shut ourselves away from- that we must bear witness to the disconcerting and the monstrous.
Clenching my teeth as nausea alternated with forgiveness; he was an essentially decent man but a participant of ignorance; he is dangerous but some things he says makes sense - Jane's pendulating narrative of those she interacts with was so poignant - indeed nothing is simple.
Although I didn't enjoy the interlogues of statistics on DES, feed, antibiotic resistance... Ruth said it best: "Coming at us like this- in waves, massed and unbreachable-knowledge becomes symbolic of our disempowerment-becomes bad knowledge-so we deny it riding its crest until it subsides from consciousness...live in a perpetual state of repressed panic. We are paralyzed by bad knowledge, from which the only escape is playing dumb. Ignorance becomes empowering because it enables people to live. Stupidity becomes proactive, a political statement. Our collective norm."
I typically shy away from texts regarding meat-eating.... I don't think its inherently wrong, but the sites of production festering with disease and corruption were never really on my mind. I think this is relevant to every inconvenient truth that we shut ourselves away from- that we must bear witness to the disconcerting and the monstrous.
heathertruett's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
katcanwrite's review against another edition
4.0
Really great book -- it felt a bit like reading Fast Food Nation but with more heart (I know that this is a novel and that isn't, but still). Really enjoyed following Jane and Akiko and all of the American Wives! through this novel.
kassabitte's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ozeki is just such a good writer. Normally I would never pick up a book on this subject matter (as it's just pandering to the crowd; me being the crowd) but still just so amazed by how she manages to humanize such a difficult subject matter. Not my favorite but still very strong.