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daphnemarie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
wallanderem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Updated my rating to a 4.75 because I finished the book weeks ago and haven’t stopped thinking about it, even after finishing another book and starting a new one. I miss reading Animal.
Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Gun violence
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Animal" follows a young woman named Joan. Joan lost her parents when she was very young, and consequently grew up too fast and without too much adult intervention. She learned from a very young age that she could get men to do things for her and pay her way through life. One of these men ended up falling completely in love with her and is so distraught when she breaks it off, that he kills himself in front of her and her new date. Joan moves across the country to LA to start new with no money and no prospects, but she tries to continue her ways to get by, by using men.
Joan is definitely the epitome of a morally gray character. She clearly uses men to get what she wants, but she often targets men who "deserve" it in her eyes. She grew up without parents and had to learn how to get by on her own, and when she discovered that men would do anything for her, it was too intoxicating of a trick to let go of. Yes, most of the men were married and well off, but it takes two to cheat, so is Joan the sole villain? She is manipulative, often cruel, and seems to know what she is doing is wrong, but she does not know how to do anything else. You kind of root for her, but also hope she can turn things around. She is a highly unlikeable character, but you still want her to succeed. It is Joan's complexities that make her so captivating to read about.
I was impressed by this book, and I will definitely keep Lisa Taddeo on my radar in the future.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
bxcvi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
emmague89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
mcornell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
However, I struggled with this book. Joan’s inner monologue went on so many tangents it was hard to remember where we started. She spends the whole book alluding to this singular moment that changed her life, but after graphic descriptions of SA, child SA, and death, it lacked the punch I think Taddeo wanted us to feel. The book was also marketed as a woman’s journey from prey to predator, and I don’t think we got that. 95% of the book is Joan stuck in her incredibly traumatic headspace, and to be blunt, I expected her to murder a lot more men than she did. For how much she talked about it, a rampage was what the book was leading up to. Perhaps her taking control one time was how she could rewrite her narrative, but I don’t think the book sold us on that. It felt unfinished.
I don’t know if I would recommend this book to people, but I also don’t think I hated it. I mostly mourn what the book could have been.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
lexipassno's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
lycheejelly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, and Classism
infrunami_girl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Death of parent, and Murder
spine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, and Suicide