Scan barcode
janey_bones's review
dark
funny
fast-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
4.0
My book reviews are not about what is considered good writing etc. This was a fun read. Jen writes in a really witty and humorous way. The characters are always a little weird. I enjoyed Big Swiss more but this was still a good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism
kwalker314's review
3.5
this was a decent book but it was lacking the je ne sais quoi that i so loved in big swiss. i choked up when mona smashed up gertrude though. the vacuum didn't deserve it ðŸ˜
bethan_clifford's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
sad
slow-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
4.5
maditowery's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
orlaithma's review against another edition
4.0
Pretend I'm Dead by Jen Beagin is quite a dark, quirky read. It's essentially 4 short stories about Mona, a 24 year old house cleaner who also volunteers at a local needle exchange. Each story follows Mona over the course of about 3 years as she interacts with different people in her life.
I found the beginning of the book to be quite difficult to get into but as the book progressed I found myself rotating between laughing out loud and feeling quite down about what was happening. Each story was more enjoyable than the last, with the ending leaving me wanting more.
Thankfully a quick search has told me that there will be a sequel, Vacuum in the Dark, publishing next year!
Thank you to Oneworld Publishing for gifting me a copy of Pretend I'm Dead.
I found the beginning of the book to be quite difficult to get into but as the book progressed I found myself rotating between laughing out loud and feeling quite down about what was happening. Each story was more enjoyable than the last, with the ending leaving me wanting more.
Thankfully a quick search has told me that there will be a sequel, Vacuum in the Dark, publishing next year!
Thank you to Oneworld Publishing for gifting me a copy of Pretend I'm Dead.
gettuffstaytuff's review against another edition
3.0
i really like beagin’s writing and i usually love an unlikeable woman on the brink as a protagonist but mona is… a lot, pretty racist in a way that kept yanking me out of enjoying this as much as i could have
parsleyperson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sydneythegoddess's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
molliebegolly's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75