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jomzjomzjomz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Utterly disturbing in a most fascinating way. I wish Mirabeau hadn’t skipped straight from the decision to follow Clara to two years later, but this was never meant to be a plot or character driven piece. It’s morality driven and message driven. Philosophical. Horrifyingly descriptive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, Gore, and Torture
lampe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
hpstrangelove's review against another edition
1.0
Yes, it really did take me 8+ years to finish this book. I didn't like it from the start. I kept hoping there might be something I'd find interesting about it, but nothing ever appealed to me. I stopped reading in August, 2010, with just a chapter left but wasn't able to mark it DNF since I was so close to the end. I finished, finally, but it simply wasn't for me.
directorpurry's review
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Blood, Murder, Racism, and Racial slurs
swarley's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
acubens's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
cmcrockford's review
5.0
Some of the most horrifying images in literature, backed by a Decadent philosophy that sees the title location as only the tip of the iceberg. Also deeply racist and Orientalist - Clara's idealization of China is reflected in the book's own prose, ironically. The likes of Hellraiser, "In The Penal Colony", and Genet were able to rifle through this novel without simulating it's ignorance. Still an invaluable work.
szeglin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
bessa's review
5.0
სიკვდილზე და ტანჯვაზე დაფუძნებული რამეებით ვინც კაიფობს, იმ წყობის და საზოგადოების სახე ქალბატონი კლარა რომ არის, სექსისტურად კი გამოიყურება, მაგრამ მეორე მხრივ, 'გიკის სიყვარულის' ავტორიც განა შეიძლება, რომ ქალბატონი არ ყოფილიყო და კიდევ ბევრი ასეთი რამე.. ხოდა, გაუმარჯოთ საშიშ ქალებს!)))