A review by freya_petersen
Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book is a great starting point for everyone whose life was changed by a piece of art ... only to find out that the artists of that work was/is - well, a monster in one way or another.  Claire Dederer takes a long and honest look at a variety of these "monster"artists and their art - and at herself, her dilemma as a fan. What I liked most about this book is that it holds a lot of room for the painful (moral) ambiguities that this topic holds by nature. This book does not try to find THE ONE RIGHT MORAL SOLUTION, it's more of an exploration that takes a look at everything between "i can't look at this person's art anymore because of their horrible deeds" and "you should separate the art from the artist". and encourages every reader to explore their own attitudes (and biases), maybe even case by case. I can't recommend it enough.