A review by lizgriffinwords
Extasia by Claire Legrand
dark
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? It's complicated
3.25
Thank you Epic Reads for the gifted ARC.
Although the writing style is lyrical and poignant and visceral, the quantity of triggering material outweighed my enjoyment of the book. Perhaps the intent was to give women a revenge fantasy, and I understand the appeal… but framing it in a world that is so horrible to women just made reading it somewhat of a slog because horrific things continued happening to Amity/Rage and the other protagonists for so much of the book.
Specifically, content includes religious/patriarchal cult trauma, attempted rape, implied past rape, frequent physical abuse, gaslighting, explicit violence/gore/body horror, and death.
Although the writing style is lyrical and poignant and visceral, the quantity of triggering material outweighed my enjoyment of the book. Perhaps the intent was to give women a revenge fantasy, and I understand the appeal… but framing it in a world that is so horrible to women just made reading it somewhat of a slog because horrific things continued happening to Amity/Rage and the other protagonists for so much of the book.
Specifically, content includes religious/patriarchal cult trauma, attempted rape, implied past rape, frequent physical abuse, gaslighting, explicit violence/gore/body horror, and death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Gore
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual content and Confinement