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savvylit's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I knew a woman's life could at any point be turned into a crime scene. I had yet to understand that I was already living inside the crime scene, that the crime scene was not the bed but the body, that the crime had already taken place."
Strega is an incredibly dreamy story teeming with unreliable narration and ambiguity. Every event in this novel keeps the reader at a distance and is never fully explained. As Rafaela spends more time with the others, her first person perspective dissolves more and more. Eventually, all of the narration comes from a passive & collective point of view. Describing events, Rafaela introduces them as happening to the girls as if they have no say in their circumstances. For instance, many of her descriptions begin with "it happened that" or with vague, collective desires such as "one wanted to turn away but couldn't."
Ultimately, Strega is an atmospheric and fevered exploration of power and agency as it is kept from young women.
Strega is an incredibly dreamy story teeming with unreliable narration and ambiguity. Every event in this novel keeps the reader at a distance and is never fully explained. As Rafaela spends more time with the others, her first person perspective dissolves more and more. Eventually, all of the narration comes from a passive & collective point of view. Describing events, Rafaela introduces them as happening to the girls as if they have no say in their circumstances. For instance, many of her descriptions begin with "it happened that" or with vague, collective desires such as "one wanted to turn away but couldn't."
Ultimately, Strega is an atmospheric and fevered exploration of power and agency as it is kept from young women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Blood, Murder, and Death
Minor: Fatphobia
sylvestra's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Murder
caidyn's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I saw this mentioned in an article of underrated books and it was just... meh. I wasn't that into it. I always struggle when dialogue isn't fully differentiated. Then the characters and setting didn't stand out. I just wasn't interested in it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Sexism
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