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rachelnevada's review against another edition
You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine is a fever dream of a horror novel that starts with our main character (A) having (a maybe stereotypical) phobia of a roommate assuming her identity. A has trouble with both boundaries and asserting herself and so is a bit of a passive main character, allowing her roommate (B) to demand things of her that she is uncomfortable with but capitulates to anyhow. Her boyfriend (C) seems uninterested in her interior thoughts and she is content with that. However, the novel is also interlaced with a mysterious Cult of the Conjoined Eater, a bombardment of advertising, and a bizarre grocery store called Wally's. It is the kind of book you read and then think "What the fuck did I just read?"
I'm eager to engage with others interpretations and reactions to this novel. While I don't think you can say that this book is about just one fear/anxiety, it does feel like it's a commentary on using both consumerism and 'clean eating' or orthorexia or other eating disorders to cope with the lack of meaning in your life instead of dealing with your own issues (or setting boundaries!!!).
Weird, trippy, and I have thoughts!!
I'm eager to engage with others interpretations and reactions to this novel.
Weird, trippy, and I have thoughts!!
lucyrosemack's review against another edition
too much discussion of eating disorder stuff in a way that was not fun to read, including calorie counting and explicit under eating within the first half hour of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
rach5el5's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
scottishgremlin's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
2.75
Well written but confusing; I probably should’ve DNF’d it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
hongjoongie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
- 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
2.5
What occurred to me then as I crouched on the warehouse floor, my mouth full, was that living wasn't a matter of right or wrong or ethics or self-expression. There was no better way to live, or worse. It was all terrible, and you had to do it constantly.
The sentence-level writing is great, but the novel got more and more weird and abstract as it went on and I just didn’t get it. Too confusing to enjoy.
sofi_222's review against another edition
4.75
if the new me by halle butler took it further and even more disturbing and amazing. this is maybe the second book ever that i can confidently say embodies everything i want from the new wave of melancholic women’s fiction in an ultra-capitalist consumer society. with meaningless books like ottessa moshfegh’s my year of rest and relaxation, books like THIS ONE is what i crave. I NEED MORE!!!!
breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
4.25