Gabe

I don’t feel qualified yet to rate this any lower than a 5/5. Part of me wants to say I enjoyed it to imply that I really *got* it, but I liked it and look forward to reading again, perhaps at different years of my life, and gaining and learning more.

fine! perhaps not the intended audience as a gay, child-free reader; the notions of “useless husband but I love him” and “I can’t think of a single good reason to have this baby but I will love them no matter what” don’t really resonate with me, but it was a refreshingly unforgiving portrayal of the truly bonkers world to bring a child into, which counts for a little.

Writing style creative but easy to follow, evoked a whole spectrum of feelings, from terror to anger to joy to sadness. Good stuff!

This was as good as it could have been I think, given the subject matter. I think explorations of masculinity are important and relevant and necessary. I also think I read this while in a mood that perhaps did not entirely appreciate that. There is something just boring in the idea that one of the most honest and raw portrayals of boys coming-of-age is grubbiness and violence. Perhaps this deserves a reread when I’m not actively bleeding.

Not a story, don’t get it confused, but a genuinely captivating description of circumstances. I felt cynical, holier than thou, exposed, uncomfortable, exasperated, impatient, and entertained. I often read fiction and feel connected to characters or stories in ways that I couldn’t have imagined; see a humanity extracted by the author that allows a comforting understanding and thread connecting us. This was almost the opposite. The characters were familiar, and common in a way that exposed how inhuman people often are. It was good, I’d recommend, quick read.