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ratgrrrl's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I still need to give this a proper review, especially as it is the book I have most thought about and is by far my most beloved thing I've read all year.
I genuinely find it hard to express just how or why I adore this book so much being a sad, broken Queer disaster who loves nothing more than reading beautiful, ugly, wonderful books about her people.
***
I've given it some time, but I am struggling to write a review for this book because I loved it so very much, but can't exactly out my finger on why. I have been thinking about it so often since and, honestly, I can't wait to read it again. It's just so nihilistic and bleak, but hopeful and real and raw and grimy and hopeless and ugly and beautiful. I just can't get my thoughts together enough to do it justice. I don't think I've ever lived a book so much that I actually found it difficult to talk about.
I will re-read it once I put a tiny dent in my TBR and see how I do then.
...
This book has absolutely shattered me in the best worst, worst best way.
I can't remember a book made me just lose it sobbing this much.
This is probably my favourite book of all time.
I'll hopefully have more words once I have put myself back together.
I genuinely find it hard to express just how or why I adore this book so much being a sad, broken Queer disaster who loves nothing more than reading beautiful, ugly, wonderful books about her people.
***
I've given it some time, but I am struggling to write a review for this book because I loved it so very much, but can't exactly out my finger on why. I have been thinking about it so often since and, honestly, I can't wait to read it again. It's just so nihilistic and bleak, but hopeful and real and raw and grimy and hopeless and ugly and beautiful. I just can't get my thoughts together enough to do it justice. I don't think I've ever lived a book so much that I actually found it difficult to talk about.
I will re-read it once I put a tiny dent in my TBR and see how I do then.
...
This book has absolutely shattered me in the best worst, worst best way.
I can't remember a book made me just lose it sobbing this much.
This is probably my favourite book of all time.
I'll hopefully have more words once I have put myself back together.
amandelirium's review
3.0
Enjoyable read. The main character was really well-fleshed out and I really liked seeing her journey, finding myself cringing as she made bad decisions.
But with the exception of maybe Ira, I wasn't invested in the other characters. Especially Patrice. She fell completely flat for me, which is a problem since the romance element seemed so important to the novel as a whole.
But with the exception of maybe Ira, I wasn't invested in the other characters. Especially Patrice. She fell completely flat for me, which is a problem since the romance element seemed so important to the novel as a whole.
meganmilks's review
5.0
Wow, and hot damn! I suppose it's fitting that I came to this novel, Jeanne's debut, eight years late as it is full of time-related pseudo-philosophy -- but alas I am timebound, and it bothers me that I did not read this earlier. A wacky cult; a coffeeshop; a seventeen-year-old baby dyke grieving the loss of her older sister; Austin, TX in the early Oughts-- but this lazy indexing doesn't quite get at the novel's energies -- it's really Julie (aforementioned young queer) and her hardened charisma, an audacity both horrifying and thrilling, that steals the show -- as well as her tender, difficult love for Patrice, whose identity is shared with the cult. So funny, so dark; really hits you at that sad-laughter/hysterical tears place. The last section: brilliant.
neurodivengeance's review
2.0
Better in the blurb/imagination than in real. I kept getting dissociated reading this and it was more the book than my life, although Patrice and Julie's relationship was very reminiscent of my first (abusive) relationship when I was a teenager. I don't know, it just felt a bit flat. I had a soft spot for Julie, her dialogue made me laugh more than once, but I couldn't really bond with her, or anyone, and even tarot coming up repeatedly didn't really save this for me.
saliceta's review
4.0
I struggled a lot with what to rate this. I kind of hate it, but I also think it's maybe sort of perfect?
First off, I disliked every character, even to the very end. But that falls especially hard on the main character, Julie. I'd say I loved to hate them all, but that's not entirely true. The book is too painful to truly love it. I did, however, grow to care about the main characters more than felt comfortable. I felt genuinely sad for every bit of pain given and received. That especially goes for the pain shared between Julie and Patrice.
The book is generally devastating. It's brilliant in how well it completely ruined me. It's been a long time since any story (whether book, movie, tv show, etc) gave me such a visceral response. I'm still reeling and feel like there's a terrible hollow in my chest. So, even in that, I love/hate this book. At the end of it all, though, I'd almost give it five stars, but for something I've yet left out.
There's a lot of unaddressed issues with the characters' actions and language. Like, I'm all for characters sucking, but, to me, actions need to be addressed directly (if subtlely). Characters casually dropping "wh***" and the egregious lack of consent throughout the book were big problems for me.
It's a mark of how powerful this is that I kept reading through it all and am still giving it 4/5
First off, I disliked every character, even to the very end. But that falls especially hard on the main character, Julie. I'd say I loved to hate them all, but that's not entirely true. The book is too painful to truly love it. I did, however, grow to care about the main characters more than felt comfortable. I felt genuinely sad for every bit of pain given and received. That especially goes for the pain shared between Julie and Patrice.
The book is generally devastating. It's brilliant in how well it completely ruined me. It's been a long time since any story (whether book, movie, tv show, etc) gave me such a visceral response. I'm still reeling and feel like there's a terrible hollow in my chest. So, even in that, I love/hate this book. At the end of it all, though, I'd almost give it five stars, but for something I've yet left out.
There's a lot of unaddressed issues with the characters' actions and language. Like, I'm all for characters sucking, but, to me, actions need to be addressed directly (if subtlely). Characters casually dropping "wh***" and the egregious lack of consent throughout the book were big problems for me.
It's a mark of how powerful this is that I kept reading through it all and am still giving it 4/5
iamthecampion's review
4.0
Loved this book, it’s really good at seducing you into a toxic relationship at the same pace Julie is.
sometimesjess's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
helmagnusdottir's review
5.0
A wonderfully sad read. A coming of age story that intertwines the helplessness of caring for someone who needs what you can't give, time travel, and loss. Really loved this book.
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