so-soI'm conflicted.
The writing is great. Sharp and subversive. Lots of social commentary. Centres trans experiences. Some amusing moments.
But I struggled to root for the characters because they were all so very selfish, and showed such little regard for each others' feelings and needs.
Made me miserable in the same way that All Fours and The Pisces did.
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Kitta I felt the same way about this. Couldn‘t connect in some way. I also disliked All Fours so you aren‘t alone! 12h
TheBookHippie Yup. Sigh. Although I feel this you gain something a bit - All Fours-no just no. 12h
RaeLovesToRead @Kitta @TheBookHippie I felt All Fours and The Pisces had more to recommend them as literary works, but Detransition, Baby more to offer in terms of expanding horizons. All of them made me feel miserable. 11h
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willaful Oh dear. Think I'll take this off my list. 11h
TheBookHippie @RaeLovesToRead I recommend this with caveat but All Fours never. 🫣😬🤷🏻♀️ 11h
RaeLovesToRead @willaful Don't let me deinfluence you! Peters is a good writer 11h
RaeLovesToRead @TheBookHippie Not even for people who really like interior decorating and infidelity?? Haha 11h
TheBookHippie @RaeLovesToRead 🤦🏻♀️ I think it‘s hateful to women. Period. 🤣🤣😫😵💫🤦🏻♀️ (edited) 10h
RaeLovesToRead @TheBookHippie I think the main character has internalised a lot of societies misogynistic views - the attitude almost taken verbatim from an essay of Susan Sontag's - The Double Standard of Aging (which I read just before All Fours). I didn't find the book hateful per se because it reflects the way a huge swathe of society thinks. But it MASSIVELY bummed me out because it was a reminder that society treats women like that. 10h
RaeLovesToRead @TheBookHippie Also, imagine spending all that money on decorating a motel room 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ 10h
TheBookHippie @RaeLovesToRead it was advertised as how women are in midlife 😵💫 that was my biggest issue. Using it as truth … I did find it a hateful picture of women, and I think that in itself is problematic for me. I get the point, I just personally don‘t think it‘s productive. Also the privilege reeks out of the pages. Can you imagine!!!! On a motel room ?!?!?! Oy. 10h
RaeLovesToRead @TheBookHippie The idea that a woman's value is determined by her sexual desirability is absolutely a hateful concept, and so depressing. When I read it I felt sorry for the MC for buying into that so wholeheartedly, but also angry at her entitlement and the way she treated her family as secondary. And also annoyed that I'm not impervious to society's pressures myself. I saw it as a reflection on misogyny, but it's possible I give too much credit! 10h
TheBookHippie @RaeLovesToRead 😝 at my age I have zero Fucks to give for sure… but I never really did fall for the troupe, not that it wasn‘t used against me in my 20s 30s 40s … etc and now. It was her choice to be that way. That is a problem for me. 10h
RaeLovesToRead @TheBookHippie The MC is a problem, but as a book I both loved and hated it. I'm in the minority there though... everyone else on Litsy hated it 😄 I've been told the Kitamura for this year's Camp Litsy has similar vibes so I'm not sure what the debate will be like haha. 9h
RaeLovesToRead @TheBookHippie If you ever read The Pisces let me know 🤣🤣🤣 9h
TheBookHippie @RaeLovesToRead will do! 8h
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