Reviews

The Sweet Smell of Psychosis: A Novella by Martin Rowson, Will Self

vincentkonrad's review against another edition

1.0

Tepid story and overwritten

vacanthungarian's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

3.25

So that was a bit of a hard read. 
For the most part, it paints a grotesque picture of coked up, bitchy writers scrambling to either discredit or suck up to one another. Literally everyone on this book is a little bit of a cretin. It does give the impression that Will Self may have a bone to pick with the industry and/or the people involved in it.
I feel like this could have been a great book if there hadn't been so much desperation to squeeze as much vulgarity and shock in as humanly possible, though I acknowledge that I would probably not have finished it if it hadn't been so liberally decorated with both those things. But still, it just felt a bit hollow as a story.

cerysh1's review against another edition

1.0

would give 0 stars if possible.
literally terrible.
i was so bored and the characters were SO unlikable, that even if they were SUPPOSED to be unlikeable, i still couldn't get through it and it is A NOVELLA.

m4rle3's review

challenging dark funny fast-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

lucys_library's review

challenging dark medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Drug abuse