Scan barcode
abbyoreilly's review against another edition
3.0
* 2.5 rounded up to 3
glad I listened to this as an audiobook because this is essentially written as a v long form poem and I just know my brain would have shut down trying to understand what tf was going on ,, also very weird reading this after conversations with friends because they have such a similar plot (very young college student dating an older male actor) and cwf does so in a faaar more enjoyable way
some extremely intense SA themes so be wary
glad I listened to this as an audiobook because this is essentially written as a v long form poem and I just know my brain would have shut down trying to understand what tf was going on ,, also very weird reading this after conversations with friends because they have such a similar plot (very young college student dating an older male actor) and cwf does so in a faaar more enjoyable way
some extremely intense SA themes so be wary
georginadaw's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sciencechick83's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jacktrego's review against another edition
challenging
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
3.75
thoughtcouture's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-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? Yes
3.5
Rating: 3.5/5 stars. This was a tough one to rate.
I read The Lesser Bohemians on a whim based entirely on the cover, knowing nothing of its subject or writer. Lucky for me, I love experimental literature, and so was pleased to discover McBride's stream-of-consciousness writing style. Her prose is initially intimidating, no doubt, with its excess white space, seemingly random capital letters, and total lack of quotation marks. It's like learning a new language: at first incoherent, yet over time and with enough exposure, you're fluent.
It's the mid-90s in London, and an 18-year-old Irish drama student has just landed in the city. Her days are filled with confidence-breaking classes; her nights are a blur of booze (and every other substance you can think of). McBride's style is a perfect fit for the protagonist's circumstance: it's dizzying, hallucinatory; you never quite feel grounded or secure. Rather, we're hit with fleeting flashes of half-formed thoughts and brief images that never fully materialize.
Just a few days into her first term, the girl (whose name doesn't appear until page 215) meets a successful actor twenty years her senior; and thus the story truly begins. I don't think I've ever come across an explicit sex scene so early in a novel, nor I have encountered so many explicit sex scenes in a single novel. Call me a prude if you like (I proudly reclaim the word), but one could make the argument that The Lesser Bohemians exists on the border between literary fiction and erotica. As I'll explain, I think the novel could have benefitted from a few fewer sex scenes and a lot more character development, specifically for its protagonist.
The central characters, the student and the actor (who isn't named until 275) experienced extreme trauma in childhood, which, in the actor's case, caused more trauma in adulthood. Yet it is only the actor who is granted a 70-page backstory, closure, and a chance at healing. This isn't an issue in and of itself, but I finished the novel feeling like the actor was the real main character, with our protagonist merely supporting--he was the center of everything she did, and she was hardly given the time or attention to become more than the actor's saving grace. In fact, the effects of her childhood trauma only worsen as the novel progresses; yet, she appears magically healed by the (ostensibly) happy ending.
Given how highly stylized the novel is, I'm inclined to say this imbalance was conscious and intentional on McBride's part--but why? I can't come up with an answer, which I find unsatisfying. Perhaps I'm mistaken in giving the author the benefit of the doubt.
I realize I'm sounding awfully negative, but I didn't hate this book. Though the first half or so was tough to penetrate, I did come to be invested in the characters' relationship and found myself rooting for them. More importantly, I was struck by the recurring theme and question of punishment--how we punish and hurt the people we love for what we perceive as their wrongdoings, and how those punishments only perpetuate a cycle of perceived wrongdoings. This is an issue I'll continue to mull over.
Do I recommend reading The Lesser Bohemians? Honestly, I don't know. If you enjoy trippy stream-of-consciousness, then yes, totally. But otherwise...I'm stumped.
I read The Lesser Bohemians on a whim based entirely on the cover, knowing nothing of its subject or writer. Lucky for me, I love experimental literature, and so was pleased to discover McBride's stream-of-consciousness writing style. Her prose is initially intimidating, no doubt, with its excess white space, seemingly random capital letters, and total lack of quotation marks. It's like learning a new language: at first incoherent, yet over time and with enough exposure, you're fluent.
It's the mid-90s in London, and an 18-year-old Irish drama student has just landed in the city. Her days are filled with confidence-breaking classes; her nights are a blur of booze (and every other substance you can think of). McBride's style is a perfect fit for the protagonist's circumstance: it's dizzying, hallucinatory; you never quite feel grounded or secure. Rather, we're hit with fleeting flashes of half-formed thoughts and brief images that never fully materialize.
Just a few days into her first term, the girl (whose name doesn't appear until page 215) meets a successful actor twenty years her senior; and thus the story truly begins. I don't think I've ever come across an explicit sex scene so early in a novel, nor I have encountered so many explicit sex scenes in a single novel. Call me a prude if you like (I proudly reclaim the word), but one could make the argument that The Lesser Bohemians exists on the border between literary fiction and erotica. As I'll explain, I think the novel could have benefitted from a few fewer sex scenes and a lot more character development, specifically for its protagonist.
The central characters, the student and the actor (who isn't named until 275) experienced extreme trauma in childhood, which, in the actor's case, caused more trauma in adulthood. Yet it is only the actor who is granted a 70-page backstory, closure, and a chance at healing. This isn't an issue in and of itself, but I finished the novel feeling like the actor was the real main character, with our protagonist merely supporting--he was the center of everything she did, and she was hardly given the time or attention to become more than the actor's saving grace. In fact, the effects of her childhood trauma only worsen as the novel progresses; yet, she appears magically healed by the (ostensibly) happy ending.
Given how highly stylized the novel is, I'm inclined to say this imbalance was conscious and intentional on McBride's part--but why? I can't come up with an answer, which I find unsatisfying. Perhaps I'm mistaken in giving the author the benefit of the doubt.
I realize I'm sounding awfully negative, but I didn't hate this book. Though the first half or so was tough to penetrate, I did come to be invested in the characters' relationship and found myself rooting for them. More importantly, I was struck by the recurring theme and question of punishment--how we punish and hurt the people we love for what we perceive as their wrongdoings, and how those punishments only perpetuate a cycle of perceived wrongdoings. This is an issue I'll continue to mull over.
Do I recommend reading The Lesser Bohemians? Honestly, I don't know. If you enjoy trippy stream-of-consciousness, then yes, totally. But otherwise...I'm stumped.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Sexual violence
josettet's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Read for class, definitely a tough read linguistically and content wise. Details a kind of parentified sexual relationship between an 18 year old drama student and a thirty-something actor. Definitely has disturbing moments but also a lot of tenderness. It gets easier to read as the book progresses.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual violence, Self harm, and Child abuse
shadowsmoon's review against another edition
5.0
So I really can't tell you how profoundly moving I found this novel. A creative work of pure genius. Her narrative style is fascinating and existentially accurate for me, all the way through; weaving you into her characters' lives with magic that can only be only be described as exactly that; magic. Eimear McBride finds the perfect way to capture aspects of relationships that thunder their way through to your soul and paint human experience with beautiful and, at times, harrowing words.
It makes it all the more real for me having been in relationships akin to our dear protagonists. Love can be brutal and beautiful but always arresting, life changing, gut wrenching and this wonderful writer knows exactly how to make you feel it.
I found that I needed to settle into the style of writing but then once I sank into it and made myself at home, the consciousness and experience emerged clear and sparkling as poetry. This is a book to be cherished. It will be hard to find a story as precious as this.
It makes it all the more real for me having been in relationships akin to our dear protagonists. Love can be brutal and beautiful but always arresting, life changing, gut wrenching and this wonderful writer knows exactly how to make you feel it.
I found that I needed to settle into the style of writing but then once I sank into it and made myself at home, the consciousness and experience emerged clear and sparkling as poetry. This is a book to be cherished. It will be hard to find a story as precious as this.
delilaht's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0