A review by grogu_djarin
Luckenbooth by Jenni Fagan

dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

0.5

Overall Thoughts:
I'm not sure what to say about this book besides I hated it. Supposedly the devil sells his daughter to a man and he seems great at first then really awful so she curses him and the building, then the whole story devolves into loosely connected short stories filled to the brim with sex and drug use. That's the whole book, there's not really a plot.

Likes:
  • The characters did have a lot of marginalized perspectives and the book wasn't afraid to show how society disadvantages certain kinds of folks due to their gender or race or sexuality, etc. 

Dislikes:
  • There's not really much of a plot. It's more a character study but none of the characters are compelling and many of them are awful people so they're not even interesting to read about.
  • Almost every story has graphic sex and/or drug use to the point where it feels like the story is just an excuse to lead to the next sex scene.
  • Supposedly the tenants are cursed but their stories really just reflect the life of poor and marginalized peoples. There's some supernatural elements in some of them, but nothing really comes across as a curse.

Other Notes:
  • NA

Would Recommend To:
  • People who like dark, gothic, borderline erotica stories because you get a lot of that.

Do Not Recommend To:
  • Most people. I think only a niche group of people would enjoy this.