A review by tbrnichols
The Sluts by Dennis Cooper

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A truly sick book, some of the most depraved things I've ever read. I think my main problem with it is that the violence depicted didn't seem like a caring and sexy sort of violence? Or even like a personal, domineering sort of violence, instead it felt impersonal and rote, meaningless and horrible. I think this book may have temporarily ruined violence in sex for me by inserting the doubt that those doing violence to me are doing it without the attachment and value it deserves. I think there actually is a way to write about this sort of thing in a hopeful way, and there are definitely glimpses of that here, but being surrounded by such depravity and hatred can make it hard to sift those out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Vomit, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury