Scan barcode
giuliawanders's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Also, the book left me wondering if it was a true story until the end. Like, so many references to real people and places!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Sexism, and Sexual content
eri002's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
Minor: War
deedireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
TL;DR REVIEW:
Case Study is a quick, (I found) engrossing read. The way it explores the idea of the self and performance was also very smart. I don’t think it’ll be for everyone, but I liked it!
For you if: You like epistolary, psychological novels.
FULL REVIEW:
Longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize, Case Study was definitely one of those I probably never would have picked up otherwise. But I’m glad I did!
The novel is written by “GMB,” a fictional narrator who presents a woman’s journal entries alongside GMB’s own biography of fictional psychotherapist Collins Braithwaite. The woman believes Braithwaite drove her sister to death by suicide and goes undercover as “Rebecca Smyth” to find him out. (Braithwaite’s prevailing belief was that there’s no such thing as the “real” Self; all our various versions of ourselves are performances, and so to free ourselves from misery we have to “kill our Selves.”) We flip-flop back and forth between her journals and GMB’s biography as things become more and more unraveled.
Not everyone in my book club liked this one, but I did. I found it to be surprisingly engaging; I was drawn in and held the whole time. I also thought the parallelism between Braithwaite’s theories and “Rebecca Smyth’s” journey was smart and creative enough to not be too on the nose. There were some parts of this (which professional reviews called satire to the counter-counter culture of the 1960s) that went a bit over my head, but I’m not bothered by it.
Ultimately, this was a quick, fun one!
CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Suicide, suicidal thoughts; Mental illness; Rape (imagined and off-screen); Alcohol use
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Rape
queerloras's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
geraldinerowe'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: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Lesbophobia
alisonannk'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
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment