The Book of X

Ah, another weird and wonderful indie press book that is just my sort of thing. Cassie is born with a genetic condition that the women in her family have: their stomachs tied in a knot. The boys are fine, of course. It's interesting that a story like this has not been written before, with the unique yet almost obvious choice to make a character born a knot. I don't like that the description of the book mostly focuses on "rape", as the book has so much more to it than that. The book is mostly about body acceptance or body uncomfortableness. How it is to live in a female body. Also, a lot of body horror here in all sorts of ways, including a meat quarry and a Man Store. The book is very surreal with a lot of haunting imagery. It's Weird. show more It's Wonderful. I would set this on the shelf beside 'The Visitors' by Jessi Jezewska Stevens. show less

Perfection of a kind. A musky odor emanates from every sentence, and each word seems meticulously chosen to evoke, mm, something like sanguinarian, or even coprophilic pleasure. This is ruthless, relentless, and visionary writing. The story could well mean more than its superficial meanings, I'm open to it meaning more...something deeply feminist...something deep about the many indignities and pains suffered by any person living inside a female body...but even before I try to ruminate over any possible metaphorical meanings I am filled with admiration, with elation even, for Sarah Rose Etter, and for her clarity of vision, and for the way she dares to be this ruthless in her storytelling.

Ok, I loved it. Even though I feel a little show more sick.

People who have followed me a while know I have a beloved shelf for what I call ruthless books. After reading The Book of X I'm thinking I need a sub-shelf for unabashedly, bravely repulsive books, where I would give this novel a place of honor, along with recently read, much admired novels [b:Three Plastic Rooms|36441093|Three Plastic Rooms|Petra Hůlová|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508430104l/36441093._SY75_.jpg|14650084] by [a:Petra Hůlová|4395227|Petra Hůlová|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1313568684p2/4395227.jpg], [b:Feebleminded|47899093|Feebleminded|Ariana Harwicz|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566675252l/47899093._SY75_.jpg|43273682] by [a:Ariana Harwicz|6897634|Ariana Harwicz|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1358678961p2/6897634.jpg], and [b:Ultraluminous|33916025|Ultraluminous|Katherine Faw|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493060678l/33916025._SX50_.jpg|54881751] by [a:Katherine Faw|16329801|Katherine Faw|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1516835059p2/16329801.jpg]. I can't say whether this is a trend, or whether I'm simply attracted to these wild-and-musky-female-author-breaks-every-taboo type of novel right now, but all of these novels gave me the same mixed feeling of nausea & joyful release.

If you decide to read this novel, or to read any of the others I'm mentioning here, I'd love for you to ping me with your review. Something wild unites them all. show less

The Book of X was my first time reading Sarah Rose Etter and what a thoroughly beautiful, darkly funny, joyus, heartbreaking, and absolutely weird novel! Two words: Meat quarry! A deeply affecting novel of womanhood and otherness and emotional trauma by way of simply being a person in the world. But the world that Sarah Rose Etter has built here is altogether alien and familiar. To attribute a quote from Paul Beatty about his 2015 satirical novel The Sellout; when asked about the novel he said something like 'its all true'. The Book of X for all its weirdness and absurdity and to this reader satire The Book of X could very well be a true story.

Magical. Transcendent. Heartbreaking. Full of weird and bonkers elements that work within its show more own strange and beautiful internal logic. The Book of X is everything a novel should be. Everything a story should be. show less

As one reviewer said, "I loved it even though I felt a little sick." The dad's meat quarry will drive you straight to a vegan diet. Another commenter said compelling and unbearable. I couldn't stop reading, but I wanted to stop, not to think about the sad, hurting protagonist any longer. The writing is remarkable, the structure is unique with reference citations and visions interspersed with her story. As a metaphor for contemporary womanhood, it's spot on, but is there no shred of kindness? Not for Cassie.

As one reviewer said, "I loved it even though I felt a little sick." The dad's meat quarry will drive you straight to a vegan diet. Another commenter said compelling and unbearable. I couldn't stop reading, but I wanted to stop, not to think about the sad, hurting protagonist any longer. The writing is remarkable, the structure is unique with reference citations and visions interspersed with her story. As a metaphor for contemporary womanhood, it's spot on, but is there no shred of kindness? Not for Cassie.

Really gorgeous prose, intense magical realism vibes and a lot to chew on (probably a really good book club book, though I didn't find the book club guide at the back to be very good but I never do lol.) How this is NOT trans is mind-boggling to me, but I guess it just speaks to the expansive destructive power of patriarchy. Definitely recommend (and it's a pretty quick read!)

A Girl is born with a knotted stomach into a family of meat miners.
I assume a lot of this book is meant to be a metaphor and example of what it is like to live as a woman in this world. But it didn’t do much for me, beautiful writing, but bleak and depressing story.