3.5 ( )

Pretend I'm Dead by Jen Beagin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was one I had actually read the kindle sample for and was very excited about reading. Then forgot about for months. But I finally got around to it!

I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to, it was fun in a grimy way but it just lacked something to get my really excited about it.

What I liked

- Mona has such a strong and distinct character voice that at first I didn’t realise that it was third person perspective until another character was introduced!
- Her life feels messy, and lived in in a realistic way. It’s chaotic, and concerning, but sadly believable.
- The supporting cast of characters are a bunch of fun oddballs (Mr Disgusting, Yoko and Yoko, Betty, Johnny), perhaps bordering on the cartoonish but I enjoyed that vibe.
- It is frequently funny. It was usually Mona’s response to other characters that had me cracking up. I really enjoyed the visuals when she was attempting to spy on Johnny.

What didn’t work

- The sample had got me hooked, and it does start very strong but I found it lost focus in the final two thirds (post-Mr Disgusting). The plot just becomes a little aimless, but then so does Mona.,
- This is not a book for anyone easily offended. While I do think that most of the wilder criticism I’ve seen in Goodreads reviews is reaching1 there are a few racist slurs, and it does deal with childhood sexual abuse in an uncomfortable way. Some of these things did feel like they were for shock value because ultimately to me the book felt it lacked substance.
- Something was missing. I definitely felt empathy and very sad for her shitty childhood, but I never felt connected or engaged with Mona. I struggled to relate to her I think. I was happy to be along for her journey but in the end I don’t feel like anything resonated.

I don’t think I’m going to remember this one in 6 months, but I’m interested to read Big Swiss still by the same author. If I can find it on a deal!

You can read this review and more on my blog



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Mona is one of those characters that I will miss now that the book is over. I'd love to be able to check in with her every once in a while, see how she's doing and really, what she's been getting up to. Such an interesting person.

ETA, 2 days later, I find there is follow up book. Yes!!! ( )

A metaphorical beast of a book with more extraordinary gusto than a sword-wielding tornado. Funny, f'ed up, peculiar, dark, sad and hopelessly hopeful, it hit me between the eyes like an airborne baseball bat. Triumphantly melancholy. ( )

Looking for something funny I happened upon a review listing "5 of the funniest books" this particular reviewer said he had ever read. Wrong! Unless I've misplaced my funny bone, this novel is far from funny. It is interesting but the premise, starting with dating Mr. Disgusting, is too dark to be considered even "black humour". When the protagonist Mona knows before hand where Mr. Disgusting is coming from it doesn't make it funny, just enormously depressing. ( )