lyrasbookshelf's reviews
591 reviews

I'm conflicted. I was really excited when I first heard about this book, but I'm not sure I enjoyed reading it. So many of the fantasies were so simple and mundane, but maybe that's the point? Maybe the whole gist of the thing is that women are made to feel unnecessary shame for something that isn't even all that wild? I don't know. All I know is that I was bored for most of this book and its not something I expect when reading about sexual fantasies.

I also didn't enjoy some contributors using the space to vent and complain about their (nonexistent) sex lives, incel style, as if anyone owes them closeness and intimacy. One of them says 'I'm a human being with just as much right to the same types of relationships as others.'  Legal right, in terms of them not being forbidden to, sure! Entitled? Absolutely not. And it looked like they meant the latter. It's not a good look and I wish such stories weren't included.

I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Tokarczuk's character work and pacing is impeccable. The main character is one of the most unique ones I've ever encountered.

One of the oddest reading experiences I've ever had. I feel as though I didn't understand 90% of this book, and yet it kept me interested throughout. At the same time, I can't honestly say I liked it, because I didn't enjoy the broken up and unfinished sentences. Seriously, nobody finished a sentence or thought in this book, which was confusing af.