A review by blueteacup
Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch

adventurous
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

Thrust is a highly surreal, highly conceptual book that doesn’t shy away from graphic sexuality.  While I enjoyed this book for its interesting premise, characters and setting, I did have some problems with certain plot threads falling flat and unneeded details that led to me feeling a bit uncomfortable. 

I loved Laisve as a character and protagonist.  Though she was sometimes difficult to understand (on purpose), I enjoyed exploring her quirks (such as listing things incessantly) and mature insight into other people’s lives.  She’s a kind girl who’s circumstances and powers make her into an odd duck.  I also really enjoyed the futuristic setting of The Brooks. A city half underwater and plagued by raids on immigrants seems like a logical conclusion to the climate crisis and attacks on immigrants present in modern day America.  Emphasizing the struggles of the country in modern day through both past and future settings made for interesting commentary on how history repeats itself.

My problems with the book lie mostly in plot threads that seem to go nowhere or wrap up unsatisfyingly, and the uncomfortable incestuous relationship between Aurora and Frederich.  I felt that the story line with Lily felt very unsatisfying to me, and, while I understand this book is in part about sex, I don’t think having her have a very fulfilling sexual experience really had anything to do with her problems relating to her father and brother.  I got what she was  going for with the coffin scene, but it just didn’t do it for me.  I also found the relationship between Frederich and his cousin Aurora to be deeply uncomfortable.  I understand that it takes place in a different time period when having sex with your cousin was a more normal thing to do, but the sex scenes between them were described so graphically and almost voyeuristically that it surpassed all that Yuknavitch was trying to say about sexual deviancy, and just made me deeply uncomfortable. 
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