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carojust's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was my first Rachel Cusk read, and now I need to get into the Outline trilogy to know if her writing style is consistently vintage. Nostalgic, maybe.
"Second Place" is untethered by an unspecific location and time period. Reading it feels like you're floating. It's written as a letter from the protagonist M, to a vague recipient, Jeffers. She recalls memories from hosting the famous artist L at her home by the marsh, in hopes that he can capture its quality that's very personal to her, and that she's convinced he can see.
This book has so much to unravel, it's honestly a bit too much. Through M, Cusk lyrically philosophizes about love, women's pain in all that comes with womanhood and motherhood, and art and its relationship with the artist and the viewer. There's even prominent Biblical symbolism through Adam, Eve and the serpent / devil. I really appreciate the writing, though I don't know where to even start.
At its most surface level, this is about men's audacity, and L is absolutely demolished by Cusk, impotent in every imaginable way. His hatred and disgust of M, refusing to see her while being obsessed with destroying her, is very real to all women, but especially older women.
You'll like this if you're into thought-provoking reads, feminist writing, and art philosophy.
"Second Place" is untethered by an unspecific location and time period. Reading it feels like you're floating. It's written as a letter from the protagonist M, to a vague recipient, Jeffers. She recalls memories from hosting the famous artist L at her home by the marsh, in hopes that he can capture its quality that's very personal to her, and that she's convinced he can see.
This book has so much to unravel, it's honestly a bit too much. Through M, Cusk lyrically philosophizes about love, women's pain in all that comes with womanhood and motherhood, and art and its relationship with the artist and the viewer. There's even prominent Biblical symbolism through Adam, Eve and the serpent / devil. I really appreciate the writing, though I don't know where to even start.
At its most surface level, this is about men's audacity, and L is absolutely demolished by Cusk, impotent in every imaginable way. His hatred and disgust of M, refusing to see her while being obsessed with destroying her, is very real to all women, but especially older women.
You'll like this if you're into thought-provoking reads, feminist writing, and art philosophy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
johannashorn's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Cannibalism
elise_allberry's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
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