A review by voxlunae
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

dark emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I think there's some great writing in here, even if I didn't connect with the narrator or the narration for the majority of it. However, I think it's far too verbose, and I'd find my attention drifting frequently during the many lengthy descriptions of things. My largest problem, though, is in this book's treatment of women. Every female character is reduced to a sexual object, even the narrator's mother to an extent, and Nguyen luxuriates needlessly in scenes of rape and detailed descriptions of pubescent masturbation, which felt gratuitous for no gain. This is similar in the depictions of violence. It just wasn't for me. 
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