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violettereads's review against another edition
4.0
A quick and sharp read about a young writer's experiences while attending a literary festival in Sweden, as she wades through past trauma.
This was a good book and translation; it was intelligent and raw, blending significantly female experiences with those of being a writer and immigrant.
This was a good book and translation; it was intelligent and raw, blending significantly female experiences with those of being a writer and immigrant.
kelseekayconn's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
ashespo's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
hambuttercup's review against another edition
1.0
A book with not even 200 pages and I still managed to take WEEKS to finish because it was boring. Only the last few pages were interesting. Super unfortunate.
I have not much else to say soooo
I have not much else to say soooo
xbernadette's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
nana_sillylilbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
3.5
First 2/3 fantastic, funny, dark, clever… then it got TOO clever, and then a massive thing was revealed and the book ended 🙂 It just ended. In this very left field way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse
_nayla_'s review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Mona tried to do something and it simply didn't work for me.
It wasn't just the hyper-sexual nature of every single person, or the long monologues that elite writers are apparently incapable of keeping behind their teeth, or even the weird mythological flood in the last . . . 10 pages? You know, all of this together is making me think I need to knock it down to 1 star. I may update.
I disliked the callous nature with which Oloixarac portrayed sexual violence. I disliked all of the drug and alcohol and sex talk; Mona was extremely unlikeable and base (masturbating on a plane? "Eating my sushi"? Please, give me a break). It was unsettling how much Mona sexualized violence against women as if it was something to be desired. I understand she was working through her trauma, but I was rolling my eyes the whole time.
If Oloixarac wanted to garner sympathy for South American POC women with this portrayal, she did a terrible job. The only person I felt sympathy for was Sunrita and she was only spoken of in passing. I would've played up "Mona" as a modern da Vinci muse: the lone, impassive figure who is complacent yet observant, always. A blank slate on which to project desire and intention. Tie it all back to what the writers are all doing in Sweden, somehow. I don't know man, I'm not the author! Pero dale, hermana, ponete las pilas.
The tie-in Oloixarac tried to create with the horrific violence Mona endured to that of Sunrita's gang rape and death left much to be desired. Frankly, the entire book was disjointed — likely exacerbated by Mona's liberal vape Valium use — and an unreliable narrator only works if the character is someone who we want to walk with during the story. I just wanted it to be over.
It's trauma, plain and simple, symbolized by final destruction. It could've worked and it didn't. Oh well, on to the next!
Overall: it insists upon itself.
It wasn't just the hyper-sexual nature of every single person, or the long monologues that elite writers are apparently incapable of keeping behind their teeth, or even the weird mythological flood in the last . . . 10 pages? You know, all of this together is making me think I need to knock it down to 1 star. I may update.
I disliked the callous nature with which Oloixarac portrayed sexual violence. I disliked all of the drug and alcohol and sex talk; Mona was extremely unlikeable and base (masturbating on a plane? "Eating my sushi"? Please, give me a break). It was unsettling how much Mona sexualized violence against women as if it was something to be desired. I understand she was working through her trauma, but I was rolling my eyes the whole time.
If Oloixarac wanted to garner sympathy for South American POC women with this portrayal, she did a terrible job. The only person I felt sympathy for was Sunrita and she was only spoken of in passing. I would've played up "Mona" as a modern da Vinci muse: the lone, impassive figure who is complacent yet observant, always. A blank slate on which to project desire and intention. Tie it all back to what the writers are all doing in Sweden, somehow. I don't know man, I'm not the author! Pero dale, hermana, ponete las pilas.
The tie-in Oloixarac tried to create with the horrific violence Mona endured to that of Sunrita's gang rape and death left much to be desired. Frankly, the entire book was disjointed — likely exacerbated by Mona's liberal vape Valium use — and an unreliable narrator only works if the character is someone who we want to walk with during the story. I just wanted it to be over.
It's trauma, plain and simple, symbolized by final destruction. It could've worked and it didn't. Oh well, on to the next!
Overall: it insists upon itself.
emilenilemil's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0