Pratik

Gilbert covers a lot of ground exploring incidences of women exploitation in music, entertainment, reality TV, and the even porn. The more things get better, the worse things are for women. Even the ones with power aren’t spared. Some of the things mentioned in the book are truly revolting and disgusting.

A provocative but deliberative read by one of the professors I know at UT Austin. If you thought the nature-nurture debate was settled, be ready to re-engage because, like everything that life throws at you, it's not that simple. Even among idential twins that share the same DNA. The author is a lapsed Christian but knows enough about the Bible and her evangelical upbringing to hold forth on biblical interpretation (hence the title) and how it shapes our behavior as well.

Wacky and infuriating, but it keeps you reading. Told from the perspective of four characters, it gives you an insight into the crazy suburbia-ness of America, where resentment and trauma live side by side. But wait for it...

Disappointing compared to All the Sinners Bleed. Although the premise held much promise and the characters dropped a lot of truth bombs, this was more of a macho action thriller than a deeper understanding of fathers and their evolution of hate toward their sons' sexual orientation. The women characters were mostly side characters in this testosterone-filled muscle bash. It was a predictable, melodramatic (filmi) ending that left much to be desired.

I don't watch reality shows, but this book, based on one, reads like one. Consumerism, late-stage capitalism, and the need to escape your own reality are center stage in this tale that tests the limits of being a better human. However, the ending is anticlimactic; otherwise, it would've been a solid 5.