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siobhanward's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
NYT Notable Books 2023: 17/100
I think my challenge with this book is that Dederer wasn't sure where she was going with it. Part of it reads like a series of critical essays around how we address art created by artists who are, at their core, bad people. Can we still love their art? Where do we draw the line? Other parts of it read as a memoir from Dederer about her own connections to media and the #MeToo movement. Unfortunately, I wasn't super interested in Dederer's personal experiences, and the parts where she focused on herself really just didn't work for me. This book had a lot of potential but ended up falling flat in a lot of parts.
I think my challenge with this book is that Dederer wasn't sure where she was going with it. Part of it reads like a series of critical essays around how we address art created by artists who are, at their core, bad people. Can we still love their art? Where do we draw the line? Other parts of it read as a memoir from Dederer about her own connections to media and the #MeToo movement. Unfortunately, I wasn't super interested in Dederer's personal experiences, and the parts where she focused on herself really just didn't work for me. This book had a lot of potential but ended up falling flat in a lot of parts.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
bookmarked_by_kate's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Rape
Moderate: Suicide
grunbean's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I don’t read non-fiction, this was an exception for a book club. After reading this, I definitely want to try reading more memoirs!
I feel it is important to read this as a memoir as opposed to an essay. While there is analysis and plenty of examples referred to, this reads as a reflection of the author’s own experience with engaging with art created by bad people. Not all the artists are talked about at the same length, and you’ll find that there’s a lot of kinds of monster in here.
I did find some of the examples of female artists confusing. They don’t generally equate to the literal crimes written about for male artists. It does add some balance, though, if this is in here for balance it may have been interesting to explore queer examples too.
I really enjoyed this, and I liked the conclusion it came too. It definitely encouraged me to think more about the parasocial relationships with artists, and how we can reconcile this when they’re revealed to be bad people.
I feel it is important to read this as a memoir as opposed to an essay. While there is analysis and plenty of examples referred to, this reads as a reflection of the author’s own experience with engaging with art created by bad people. Not all the artists are talked about at the same length, and you’ll find that there’s a lot of kinds of monster in here.
I did find some of the examples of female artists confusing. They don’t generally equate to the literal crimes written about for male artists. It does add some balance, though, if this is in here for balance it may have been interesting to explore queer examples too.
I really enjoyed this, and I liked the conclusion it came too. It definitely encouraged me to think more about the parasocial relationships with artists, and how we can reconcile this when they’re revealed to be bad people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Rape
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, and Alcohol
candlewaster's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
genstrong's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A very interesting critique of “cancelled” celebrities and of “cancel culture” itself. The author takes a subjective, feminist approach to writing on the topic that doesn’t shy away from addressing her personal emotions. While I think the book could have delved more deeply into each celebrity, each chapter offers interesting and well-informed perspectives… new ways to look at things.
I really enjoyed the chapter on JK Rowling, however the author doesn’t really address the reason of her cancellation. Rather, the author focussed on the fans’ response which was unexpected and not unwelcome.
I do however have to disagree with the claim later in the book that “The worst thing a man can do is rape, while the worst thing a woman can do is not love her children” (paraphrased). It is definitely a legitimate statement to argue for older generations, however the author shied away from addressing J K Rowling’s transphobia which could arguably be seen as worse than not loving her own children to today’s generations. Of course, this is all subjective. But I do feel there was a missed opportunity to really explore the changing narrative around womanhood in the 21st century. How “woke” Gen-Zers may respond very differently to these narratives than earlier generations. The author instead chose to stick to traditional notions of womanhood.
I really enjoyed the chapter on JK Rowling, however the author doesn’t really address the reason of her cancellation. Rather, the author focussed on the fans’ response which was unexpected and not unwelcome.
I do however have to disagree with the claim later in the book that “The worst thing a man can do is rape, while the worst thing a woman can do is not love her children” (paraphrased). It is definitely a legitimate statement to argue for older generations, however the author shied away from addressing J K Rowling’s transphobia which could arguably be seen as worse than not loving her own children to today’s generations. Of course, this is all subjective. But I do feel there was a missed opportunity to really explore the changing narrative around womanhood in the 21st century. How “woke” Gen-Zers may respond very differently to these narratives than earlier generations. The author instead chose to stick to traditional notions of womanhood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
In some chapters what the celebrity was accused of doing is explained in detail while in others it is glossed over. This includes rape, etc.raisinreads's review against another edition
3.25
I enjoyed the idea behind this book & found the authors narrative voice interesting and easy to read for the most part. But, there were parts that seemed repetitive & circular, sometimes dancing around a point and never getting to it. I also found the range of perspectives lacking & some of the comparisons/conflations within were uh interesting choices.
Also a content note: there is a lot of mention of sexual assault, including that of a child. There is not an overly descriptive element, but it is talked about a decent amount, so I decided to put those warnings in the moderate category.
Also a content note: there is a lot of mention of sexual assault, including that of a child. There is not an overly descriptive element, but it is talked about a decent amount, so I decided to put those warnings in the moderate category.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
aburns2's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
randeerebecca's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
1.0
This book basically feels like the author is being an apologist for “monstrous” behavior without coming right out and saying it because she’s a self-proclaimed feminist. I see her feminism, but I think it’s very simplistic and minimally intersectional. She starts the book off by arguing that use of the word “monster” for men who are abusers (i.e. Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby, etc.) is so that as individuals, we don’t need to acknowledge our own potential for those kinds of behaviors. Which is an interesting perspective, but also a flimsy excuse. At times, it seemed like the author was arguing this point simply to make herself feel better about continuing to consume art when she felt guilty doing so because of the creator’s crimes and behaviors. She also goes on to blame the internet because now people have to know that their beloved cultural icons have done horrible things - it seems to me she’d rather live in ignorance? There’s a simple solution, of course. The author personally does not have to engage with social media, the very thing she blames.
There were a few bits that really felt yucky to me:
- criticizing queer kids’ use of tumblr for “unbodied connection” with fandoms. Tell me you’re not queer without telling me? This is so ignorant of how isolating it can be to exist as queer, especially in small communities, and how important it can be to connect with others like you over something meaningful. But it’s wild because she later talks about being a weird kid needing connection and she got that from David Bowie music and fans? So she clearly understands the need, but maybe not the context.
- Listed men who have been found to be abusive and pedophilic as examples of cultural “monsters,” and THEN followed that by listing women who had mental health problems and said “does self harm count?”
- On Picasso’s abusive behavior towards women: “Picasso is the victim of, the servant to, his own impulses.”
- Implied that the reason society went after Woody Allen and Roman Polanski for their pedophilia is because they are Jewish and our society is anti-Semitic… not because they assaulted children or anything…
- Sylvia Plath is included in this book on cultural “monsters” because her suicide was a “violent act” against patriarchy, supposedly. The reality is that she was clinically depressed in the midst of heartbreak. The author does state that Plath was not a monster, so why is she even included in this discussion?
- She conflates recovery from addiction to someone needing support for their “monstrous” behavior (i.e. pedophilia, abuse, violence)
The message at the end, summed up: we’re all monsters and all victims and what we do doesn’t make a difference anyway, so consume the media created by perpetrators 👎🏻
I will give her this: she made a point to say that memoir should be description and not prescription, meaning she doesn’t feel a person’s views espoused in their memoir(s) should automatically be taken as life advice by readers. Which is good, because I certainly won’t with hers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Abandonment
dantruman's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Thoughtful, challenging, informative, reflective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
The author is not in favor of the above but they come up in relation to the artist’s she discusses.librarymouse's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
2.75
I don't know that this was necessarily what I was expecting. It was thought provoking at some points. At others, I lost the plot. While critiquing gender essentialism in general and in its association with power dynamics and gender stereotypes, the author often relies on it in the language used around her critique of powerful men.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism