vanesst's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use, Medical content, Rape, Abortion, Cancer, Genocide, Infidelity, Antisemitism, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
aweightytome's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I feel eh, about this book. Did I take away anything from this book? No. Was the writing enough to keep me reading? Sometimes.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Antisemitism, and Abortion
hmatt's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
1.5
I really wanted to give this book a chance because some of my most-trusted book people recommend it - and this is the only reason I actually finished it. I found that I really don't get along with the experimental writing style, in addition to other critiques.
I get that this is "technically" fiction, but to call it a novel would be misleading. It's a thinly-veiled (bad) memoir with a bit of spice thrown in. It sort-of masquerades as a thought experiment, except the experiment is stupid and no real insights come out of it. Probably half the book involves the narrator flipping coins and taking the "yes/no" result as divine wisdom.
I will reiterate: I really wanted to like this. I'm someone who does not want children and is extremely interested in what other people who don't want children have to say. But this work just doesn't say anything to me. The narrator's observations felt whiney, recycled, and cliche. Such a disappointment.
The chapter that I was actually the most captivated by was the one discussing mental health... so there you go. I'm not sure that one section was enough to convince me to give Heti another try, though.
I get that this is "technically" fiction, but to call it a novel would be misleading. It's a thinly-veiled (bad) memoir with a bit of spice thrown in. It sort-of masquerades as a thought experiment, except the experiment is stupid and no real insights come out of it. Probably half the book involves the narrator flipping coins and taking the "yes/no" result as divine wisdom.
I will reiterate: I really wanted to like this. I'm someone who does not want children and is extremely interested in what other people who don't want children have to say. But this work just doesn't say anything to me. The narrator's observations felt whiney, recycled, and cliche. Such a disappointment.
The chapter that I was actually the most captivated by was the one discussing mental health... so there you go. I'm not sure that one section was enough to convince me to give Heti another try, though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Mental illness
Minor: Toxic relationship
CWs are not comprehensivelquel's review
reflective
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Rape, Homophobia, Suicide, and Sexual assault
anouks_books's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Sexual content
Moderate: Infertility and Infidelity
Minor: Blood, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
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