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talia ā�'s Reviews > All Fours
All Fours
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talia ā�'s review
bookshelves: adult, lgbtq-plus, library, literary-fiction, releases-2024, stunning-covers, 1-and-a-half-stars
Jul 09, 2024
bookshelves: adult, lgbtq-plus, library, literary-fiction, releases-2024, stunning-covers, 1-and-a-half-stars
ok, i'm going to type this out in a way that i hope that people will understand.
i absolutely believe that there should be more literature about women discussing and exploring their beliefs on motherhood, sex, their bodies, gender, etc. that is a no brainer in my opinion, and it is literature that must be supported as middle-aged women are often silenced.
with that out of the way,
it would be great if i could read a book by a well-known female author who wasn't under the impression that descriptions of cutting matted hair from a dog's ass or running her hands under her lover's pee was "original", "sharp", or "illuminating" writing.
i am so BORED of this type of lit fic that equates "disgusting" bodily fluids/acts as provocative and therefore, interesting, writing.
it isn't!
and if you are willing to go there then at least make a goddamn point that's better explored and more nuanced than "shoving my hand up our dogs' ass was how my husband and i reunited our connection."
also, i am sick and tired of the theme that opening up your relationship/going poly inherently means that you are more mature, intelligent, and sophisticated than another. i really don't understand how we got to this stage of believing that monogamy=immaturity/naivete and being poly=maturity/wisdom.
i was looking for a introspective story about a middle aged woman, roadtrips, change, and an examination of all types of relationships.
what i received was the most generic, millenial, ChatGPT-coded book that literally believes that discussing "gross" things makes the content refreshing/intelligent/good, and that after a failed solo cross-country trip, the solution to fix or reconnect with your partner is opening up your marriage.
nothing about this book read as "tender" or "moving." It was written in a way that was so narcisstic and self-centered.
so boring. so typical. so predictable.
the half star is for the ONE (1) paragraph that i loved where the narrator leaves her house for her roadtrip and feels as if she isn't far enough to start listening to podcasts, music, etc. THAT was breathtaking writing.
i absolutely believe that there should be more literature about women discussing and exploring their beliefs on motherhood, sex, their bodies, gender, etc. that is a no brainer in my opinion, and it is literature that must be supported as middle-aged women are often silenced.
with that out of the way,
it would be great if i could read a book by a well-known female author who wasn't under the impression that descriptions of cutting matted hair from a dog's ass or running her hands under her lover's pee was "original", "sharp", or "illuminating" writing.
i am so BORED of this type of lit fic that equates "disgusting" bodily fluids/acts as provocative and therefore, interesting, writing.
it isn't!
and if you are willing to go there then at least make a goddamn point that's better explored and more nuanced than "shoving my hand up our dogs' ass was how my husband and i reunited our connection."
also, i am sick and tired of the theme that opening up your relationship/going poly inherently means that you are more mature, intelligent, and sophisticated than another. i really don't understand how we got to this stage of believing that monogamy=immaturity/naivete and being poly=maturity/wisdom.
i was looking for a introspective story about a middle aged woman, roadtrips, change, and an examination of all types of relationships.
what i received was the most generic, millenial, ChatGPT-coded book that literally believes that discussing "gross" things makes the content refreshing/intelligent/good, and that after a failed solo cross-country trip, the solution to fix or reconnect with your partner is opening up your marriage.
nothing about this book read as "tender" or "moving." It was written in a way that was so narcisstic and self-centered.
so boring. so typical. so predictable.
the half star is for the ONE (1) paragraph that i loved where the narrator leaves her house for her roadtrip and feels as if she isn't far enough to start listening to podcasts, music, etc. THAT was breathtaking writing.
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Reading Progress
July 8, 2024
–
Started Reading
July 8, 2024
– Shelved
July 8, 2024
– Shelved as:
adult
July 8, 2024
– Shelved as:
lgbtq-plus
July 8, 2024
– Shelved as:
literary-fiction
July 8, 2024
– Shelved as:
library
July 8, 2024
– Shelved as:
releases-2024
July 8, 2024
– Shelved as:
stunning-covers
July 9, 2024
– Shelved as:
1-and-a-half-stars
July 9, 2024
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 148 (148 new)
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Eva
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Jul 09, 2024 04:51PM
Big agree on the ābeing gross doesnāt equal being provocativeā� bit!
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Eva wrote: "Big agree on the ābeing gross doesnāt equal being provocativeā� bit!"i'm tired of it!!! make it gross, sure, but make it meaningful! or at least interesting!
kendra wrote: "iām sorry they reunite over WHAT"i literally can't even relive it again š sad millenial women trying to overcome their sad millenial experiences by having lots of sex and describing "gross" acts. yawnnnnnnnnnn. the "grossness" is for shock value and it isn't even good, it's BORING š
obviously thatās what all normal, high-brow people do. be gross for no good reason.
The scene with the pee happens between her and Davey, not her husband.
But why is it millennial writing tho? Iām millennial and find this writing appalling.
My thoughts exactly. So much was so cringe-worthy.
Wow this review was insanely well written, you put into words my feeling on the recent polyamory craze perfectly. Thank you for your insight ššš
Sheās not millennial. The main character is in her mid forties. That would be gen X
Did you even read the book? It wasn't her husband's piss, and she didn't make the cross-country drive... Did bots write these negative reviews? This is the third one I've read that got core details of the book wrong.
I literally hated this book & didn't finish it
Iām currently on chapter 6 and really hating it. Tell me the book gets better.
Agree with most everything except the millennial part.
I feel this review in my soul. I read some of the descriptions and I'm like, this isn't insightful or deep, it's just being gross and eDgY.
I did not like the style or substance at all and could not finish it.
This is like you cracked my brain open and wrote this review for me. I agree with this wholeheartedly.
I have this waiting on me at the library and there it will stay. I love your review and could not agree more with you about being BORED with this sort of writing. And THIS!!! "i really don't understand how we got to this stage of believing that monogamy=immaturity/naivete and being poly=maturity/wisdom." I've got zero time for this sort of book.
This comment perfectly sums up my feelings about this book! I DNF and really don't understand all the 5 star reviews.
to be fair she writes very explicitly about what the dog situation means in the context of her very nuanced relationship?
I wholeheartedly agree with this review except why millennial? This is about a gen x woman and written by a boomer.
Ahhh man. I just started this and came to the comments wondering if it was satire or not. Nothing crazy has happened yet, but everything feels soā¦heavy handed? Iām going to try and finish, but this review lets me know what Iām in for lol. Thank you!!
THANK YOU for this. Exactly my feelings
Totally agree. It felt like a box full of the "cool" topics, what makes you an open-minded person. And end up being a predictable story. Also, writing disgusting things as an act of rebellion or provocative was effective when William S. Burroughs did it and that was a long time ago.
Thank you for your review. I now know that this is not the book for me to read. I did take a little offense to the āmillennialā� comment as I am a millennial and definitely donāt think monogamy=immaturity/naivety. But besides that(which is fine for you to have that opinion of us) I am grateful to your review and will just skip right along past this book. Thank you again! ā¤ļø
This contains spoilers and Iām annoyed
This review really helps me. I have been on the fence about reading it. Then a good friend reviewed it. This cements for me that I will skip this book and not feel like Iām missing out on a great read that Iāll connect to.
Completely agree with your opinion on this šš½
Is her child a boy or girl? My translation to portugese is in āneutralā�! Help!
I appreciate this review so much! This is the 3rd time Iāve tried to get through the book - only because it kept crossing my radar as the best book of the year. Iām halfway and feel justified ditching it. There is nothing to like about this character.
Literally couldnāt agree more. I canāt remember the last time I read a book with as self-indulgent a main character as this unnamed narcissist. Ugh and the dog shit hair cutting - WHY! I really hated this book.
This is everything I feel about this book, but didnāt know how to say
The author never implies that her life choices are mature, quite the opposite. The turmoil in which she finds herself starting with this one random man, drifting from a very fitting and healthy marriage, explains it all. Itās not a matter of right or wrong, but only acknowledging that relationships arenāt perfect and there shouldnāt be formats expected for them.
Yes!! I had to give up when she started describing sitting in a dude's lap while he changes the woman's tampon for her as if this was sexy and even logistically possible. Absolutely not.
Yeah, and having sex on a bed when a baby is dying. Only at chapter 8 and sheās SO cringe- puts everyone down, and is SO grandiose itās embarrassing. Uggš¤®
Miranda July has always been cringe... now in her 50s, she is desperate to be cool and "relevant" and this is the best she can do. It's pathetic, honestly. She does most of this just to come off shocking, it probably is mostly made up.
I was going to write a review and realized that yours perfectly sums up what I was going to say. Unfortunately, I read the entire book as I always feel like I have to finish books that I begin reading. There was really nothing redeeming about this book.
This review hits the nail on the head and makes me want to drop a start from my reading.
for me it was the description of her dancing on page 13: so funny and so authentic
This review is exactly how I felt about this book. Especially the part about monogamy. After I was done, I was even more grateful for my marriage, of course to each their own but I felt a sense of sorrow for the main character, her loneliness was palpable.
Your review is so on point! I could no0t finish this crap.
How in any way is the writing in this book "chat GPT-coded"?
Mostly agree with your assessment, Talia, although I did appreciate that the writing was strong. Thatās what kept me reading when I really should have stopped. The main character was so painfully narcissistic that by the end I hated her and couldnāt have cared less about her āstruggles.ā� And so much of the sex and gore was just gratuitous nonsense without any meaningful connection to message or plot.
You hit the nail on the head for how I feel about this book. Iām 50% in. Sheās back from her fake trip. Iām thinking of not finishing and came to Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ to find out if there is ANYTHING remotely endearing in this book to finish it for. Even worse is that I am listening to it on audiobook and the author is reading her own story and she sounds like the sad character in Inside out the whole time. Itās so hard to listen to her voice!! I think Iām just gonna return it to the library now. Thanks for letting me know it isnāt worth finishing š
Couldnāt agree more. I think sometimes women think they need to write like perverse men to get noticed. Unrelatable.
