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callme_tippy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved everything about this book!
I really enjoyed the style that this book was written in and I can't wait for this author to write more as I am already big fan! I think the style of this was genius~
While I didn't particularly like any of the characters, I was invested and eager to know the everything that the main character gained insight on. I have to say I am a Fan of Sheena Patel!
I really enjoyed the style that this book was written in and I can't wait for this author to write more as I am already big fan! I think the style of this was genius~
While I didn't particularly like any of the characters, I was invested and eager to know the everything that the main character gained insight on. I have to say I am a Fan of Sheena Patel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, and Classism
Moderate: Colonisation
kkpines's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
2.25
girl there’s medication for these kind of things
incredibly stagnant book with a delusional narrator.. starts off with a lot of unhinged promise and delves into a slightly pathetic, whiney, narcissistic stream of consciousness.
two(ish?) stars
incredibly stagnant book with a delusional narrator.. starts off with a lot of unhinged promise and delves into a slightly pathetic, whiney, narcissistic stream of consciousness.
two(ish?) stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying and Emotional abuse
emma_sky's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Classism
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
Minor: Drug use
divyab's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved the structure and the exploration of a number of topics including -- whiteness and proximity to whiteness, class, wealth, capitalism et al. I think it did a very good job of setting up the main character as someone who has very little power in relation to the other characters. It also explores influencer culture and fame. Also, love and obsession.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
floatinthevoid's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It tried.
There are some aspects that I really like, but there are more aspects that disappoint my expectation.
I like the overly specific description of luxury things. Or the jab at wealthy white public figures' hypocrisy, or the exploration between themes like power, intimacy, obsession, algorithm, privilege, etc.
But.
The social commentary itself doesn't feel natural to me, because instead of trying to incorporate those social themes in the story, the author instead write it like a punch line in an article of essay with an overtly quirky choice of words that doesn't make sense.
Also, I know that an unreliable narrator often use inconsistency to entice the reader what's real or not. But there's a big gap in between the plot that feels too jarring.
I agree with other reviewers that it's a bit repetitive. The ending is unsatisfactory too to say the least.
So take it with a grain of salt whatever people say about this book.
There are some aspects that I really like, but there are more aspects that disappoint my expectation.
I like the overly specific description of luxury things. Or the jab at wealthy white public figures' hypocrisy, or the exploration between themes like power, intimacy, obsession, algorithm, privilege, etc.
But.
The social commentary itself doesn't feel natural to me, because instead of trying to incorporate those social themes in the story, the author instead write it like a punch line in an article of essay with an overtly quirky choice of words that doesn't make sense.
Also, I know that an unreliable narrator often use inconsistency to entice the reader what's real or not. But there's a big gap in between the plot that feels too jarring.
I agree with other reviewers that it's a bit repetitive. The ending is unsatisfactory too to say the least.
So take it with a grain of salt whatever people say about this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Mental illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Violence
Minor: Physical abuse
rosalind's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Moderate: Cursing and Emotional abuse
Minor: Body shaming, Misogyny, Racism, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
teddylouise00's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Had it’s moments but did not captivate me truly, found myself glossing over a lot of it. The topics raised are important but overall I feel like it did not commentate on them in anyway that is substantial or adds anything to the conversation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Domestic abuse
saoreads's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
There's a lot to unpack in here; the raw style of writing and toxicity are so oozing that it's oddly all-consuming to read. It's a different kind of self-destructive concept when the main character itself is hyper-aware of all these things. It left nowhere for finality, which is not satisfying; it just ended however it wanted at the pinnacle of making the worst decision as time and emotional well-being have been invested for so long to stop. It's a short-sighted way of ruining yourself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
laurataylor's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
emilyrowanstudio's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
4.75 rounded up - This is a fantastic book and I would love to see it win the Women's Prize (although I don't think it will).
I love books like this. So 2023, so modern, so political, so about social media and internet culture.
I'm a Fan is told in short chapters, many less than a page long. Some are first person narratives where our protagonist loses herself in The Man I Want To Be With and The Woman I Am Obsessed With, some are essays about race, womanhood, manhood, art, and some are a mixture of both.
I can see why this such a marmite book. If you're not a lover of the internet, or intrigued by fame and influencer culture, or fascinated by the way we can so easily be found and traced online, then you won't "get" this. It as an acquired 21st century taste. The protagonist, and three of the other main characters, are never named. They are all horrible and unlikeable people. The impersonality with the lack of names combined with the spewing of dark thoughs and deep desires, the conscious and unconscious will to destroy themselves, the sinister traits of their character - there is much here reminiscent of the MCs in Eliza Clark's Boy Parts and Otessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest in Relaxation, but I'm A Fan is smarter than them both. The social and political commentary interspersed with the non-linear plotless prose is expertly done.
I'm A Fan is so of the moment yet so one of a kind. This is a near perfect book. I can't wait to see what Sheena Patel does next.
[To add - and this has nothing to do with the book itself and only the reception it has received - I didn't find I'm A Fan as dark as I expected. Unhinged, certainly. The actions of the protagonist make you wince at times, but to be labelled 'dark' I was expecting something more explicitly sinister to happen].
I love books like this. So 2023, so modern, so political, so about social media and internet culture.
I'm a Fan is told in short chapters, many less than a page long. Some are first person narratives where our protagonist loses herself in The Man I Want To Be With and The Woman I Am Obsessed With, some are essays about race, womanhood, manhood, art, and some are a mixture of both.
I can see why this such a marmite book. If you're not a lover of the internet, or intrigued by fame and influencer culture, or fascinated by the way we can so easily be found and traced online, then you won't "get" this. It as an acquired 21st century taste. The protagonist, and three of the other main characters, are never named. They are all horrible and unlikeable people. The impersonality with the lack of names combined with the spewing of dark thoughs and deep desires, the conscious and unconscious will to destroy themselves, the sinister traits of their character - there is much here reminiscent of the MCs in Eliza Clark's Boy Parts and Otessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest in Relaxation, but I'm A Fan is smarter than them both. The social and political commentary interspersed with the non-linear plotless prose is expertly done.
I'm A Fan is so of the moment yet so one of a kind. This is a near perfect book. I can't wait to see what Sheena Patel does next.
[To add - and this has nothing to do with the book itself and only the reception it has received - I didn't find I'm A Fan as dark as I expected. Unhinged, certainly. The actions of the protagonist make you wince at times, but to be labelled 'dark' I was expecting something more explicitly sinister to happen].
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism