Suicide Blonde
by Darcey Steinke
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 244)
Read in May, 2003
Darcy Steinke, Suicide Blonde (Atlantic Monthly Press, 1992)
`ware the media event-book, film, whatever it may be-that is presented as something "in the tradition of." Robert Olmstead says on the back cover of Steinke's second novel that it is in the tradition of Djuna Barnes, Georges Bataille, and Marguerite Duras; certainly the kind of recommendationt hat is going to get under the skin of any connoisseur of enlightened pornography. Unfortunately, "in the tradition of" does...more
`ware the media event-book, film, whatever it may be-that is presented as something "in the tradition of." Robert Olmstead says on the back cover of Steinke's second novel that it is in the tradition of Djuna Barnes, Georges Bataille, and Marguerite Duras; certainly the kind of recommendationt hat is going to get under the skin of any connoisseur of enlightened pornography. Unfortunately, "in the tradition of" does...more
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I had to read this several years ago for a class in... I forgot which class, actually. I recently picked it off the shelf and reread it, and came away with the same impression that I'd had back when I'd first bought the book: 1) very beautifully written 2) terribly, emotionally painful to read
This is about a blonde woman obsessed with her ex-boyfriend and the corrosive train wreck she calls her life. She stumbles through the book remembering her love, remembering his past and stubbornly suss...more
This is about a blonde woman obsessed with her ex-boyfriend and the corrosive train wreck she calls her life. She stumbles through the book remembering her love, remembering his past and stubbornly suss...more
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Read in May, 2007
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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It might not be fair to only give this two stars, because the writing was pretty good and the main character did move me enough to feel heartbreak for her.
That said, I am so done with angst and disgusting and dark caricatures of sex. Sex isn't always the most fun, but it should be, and it doesn't have to be like this for anyone with self-respect and dignity. It shouldn't turn your stomach or make you dislike yourself or your partner. It shouldn't be done BECAUSE you dislike yourself or your ...more
That said, I am so done with angst and disgusting and dark caricatures of sex. Sex isn't always the most fun, but it should be, and it doesn't have to be like this for anyone with self-respect and dignity. It shouldn't turn your stomach or make you dislike yourself or your partner. It shouldn't be done BECAUSE you dislike yourself or your ...more
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Read in July, 2005
recommends it for:
nobody
My wife read this book and told me it was disturbing. She also told me that it reminded me of the two years she lived in San Francisco (where the story takes place); that disturbed me.
Right off the bat, I began reading this book for most of the wrong reasons.
This book is not well written and thinks itself much "cooler" than it actually is. The story a bit over the top in it's attempt to be the cool, sad tale of a young woman's ongoing train wreck of a life.
In retrospect, ...more
Right off the bat, I began reading this book for most of the wrong reasons.
This book is not well written and thinks itself much "cooler" than it actually is. The story a bit over the top in it's attempt to be the cool, sad tale of a young woman's ongoing train wreck of a life.
In retrospect, ...more
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I read this book when I was in the army, just as I was starting to seriously begin writing, and not very long after my own first ill-fated trip to San Francisco. The book was like a hard shock in my veins; Steinke was the first person in my general age group (give or take, I was born in 1970, not sure of her) who was writing the kind of fiction I wanted to write, or thought I wanted to write. She was restricted by little, passionate in all things, and writing about people that no one else was mu...more
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
Angsty college students
It was a fun read, wish I'd come across it when my wardrobe was still all black. The writing it smooth and decently crafted, some of the descriptions were quite impressive and the quirky characters were better written than other books of the type. If you've just recently outgrown Poppy Z. Brite, give it a whirl.
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I read this in high school. This book made my teenage thighs ache. The part I remember the most had to do with having sex with a hermaphrodite. It made me really think about the possibilities. I mean, sure, I'd thought about it before - but never in such depth. I remember reading this book while I was in class too. And there is totally a naked chick on the cover. That was hot stuff in high school.
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Read in January, 2006
Sad, sad story. The writing is actually pretty good, but the grim subject matter kept me from enjoying it. Heroin, destructive behavior, sleeping around...not exactly a tea and crumpets party. I'd like to see more from this author, because I can tell she can write. Don't read this if you're taking mood stabilizers.
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What i learned: sometimes, even a not-that-great book can break your heart. It wasn't very satisfying, but i kept reading thinking that there would be something profound in there, but mostly, it was just very sad and empty.
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Read in January, 2005
This book seemed really self-indulgent to me. Angst can be okay if it is made to serve a larger purpose or illuminate the reader in some fashion (Catcher in the Rye, for example). I don't think Suicide Blonde accomplished that.
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This is really a 4.5 star, but I shaved off 1/2 star because I don't want to seem like a groupie. There were some things I didn't connect with but overall I found it so compelling it seem haterish to point them out.
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this is the book i nearly got in-school suspension for. turns out, Church of Christ schools don't take too kindly to talkin' 'bout how semen tastes... or women masturbating with Christ-statues. whod've thought?
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This book doesn't bring in great reviews from Amazon customers but I highly enjoyed it. It's set in the seedy underground places in San Francisco which interest me. Strange story about some strange people.
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Read in January, 2002
recommends it for:
fans of beautiful prose & loser lit
This is my all-time favorite novel, hands down. Post-modern but not weird for it's own sake, it's a challenging story about love, lust, and saving oneself through extremity. Beautiful and sad.
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I randomly picked up this book in a used bookstore and was delighted to see that it took place in my neighborhood in SF. But unfortunately, that was all that delighted me.
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Read in January, 1994
I read this so many years ago. I do remember liking it. Don't remember alot except that it felt edgy and had an opium den in the story.
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Read in July, 1997
recommends it for:
naughty girls
This book had me at hello. I remember reading the first paragraph and not wanting to let go. However, I did read this in high school.
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This character begins to explore the dark steamy underworld of random sex and all out debauchery. Got me wanting to fuck strangers.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in January, 1997
i loved this book when i read it, but would never recommend it to anyone else... unless your life is a dark dark room.
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