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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
fraise's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Child abuse
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
clemrain's review against another edition
reflective
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
2.25
It’s astonishing that this book was published in 2021. I really don’t think that we have stories like these to tell anymore. I could’ve changed my mind if this novel had succeeded in doing so, but it didn’t.
I like reading about flawed characters but I also like to see a change in them if I’m reading anything longer than 5 thousand words. This short novel was just under 200 pages and truly nothing happened in any of them in terms of character development. This could’ve simply just been a short story and I think it would’ve been more impactful.
A woman who’s tired of her life and thinks the choices of others put her in a horrible place. Then there’s the artist that she desperately wants to like her but he just doesn’t want to. That’s the plot.
I enjoy every character except the main character. She is so boring because I swear I have read ten novels with the same character as her in my English lit courses. It reminds me of “ The Awakening“ by Kate Chopin exactly. This story could’ve been more interesting if literally any of the other characters took the lead.
The writing style fits well. It’s a long letter and it’s beautifully written. Though a bit extraneous at times. But what’s a long letter recounting your life if not extraneous.
I like reading about flawed characters but I also like to see a change in them if I’m reading anything longer than 5 thousand words. This short novel was just under 200 pages and truly nothing happened in any of them in terms of character development. This could’ve simply just been a short story and I think it would’ve been more impactful.
A woman who’s tired of her life and thinks the choices of others put her in a horrible place. Then there’s the artist that she desperately wants to like her but he just doesn’t want to. That’s the plot.
I enjoy every character except the main character. She is so boring because I swear I have read ten novels with the same character as her in my English lit courses. It reminds me of “ The Awakening“ by Kate Chopin exactly. This story could’ve been more interesting if literally any of the other characters took the lead.
The writing style fits well. It’s a long letter and it’s beautifully written. Though a bit extraneous at times. But what’s a long letter recounting your life if not extraneous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug abuse
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