73pctGeek reviewed Spent by Alison Bechdel
A good, but stressful read
3 stars
Cartoonist “Alison Bechdel” struggles to write her new book, as her wife, Holly, becomes a successful YouTuber, and their pygmy goat sanctuary gets a new addition. Envy, money worries, insecurities, feelings of inadequacy all rear their ugly heads in both Alison and her friend group, against a backdrop of a world spiralling ever downwards.
I found the bulk of this hard to properly enjoy. It seemed to keep the story, or me, at a distance, everything seeming at a slight remove. At the same time, I also found it incredibly stressful reading, so Bechdel certainly succeeded in conveying Alison’s mounting unease. The last couple of chapters helped ease the pressure, but I found the ending itself a little too easy and pat. There are some lovely visual gags (the goats, the cats, etc.), and I enjoyed the author’s subtle acknowledgements of age coming for us all. A good read, …
Cartoonist “Alison Bechdel” struggles to write her new book, as her wife, Holly, becomes a successful YouTuber, and their pygmy goat sanctuary gets a new addition. Envy, money worries, insecurities, feelings of inadequacy all rear their ugly heads in both Alison and her friend group, against a backdrop of a world spiralling ever downwards.
I found the bulk of this hard to properly enjoy. It seemed to keep the story, or me, at a distance, everything seeming at a slight remove. At the same time, I also found it incredibly stressful reading, so Bechdel certainly succeeded in conveying Alison’s mounting unease. The last couple of chapters helped ease the pressure, but I found the ending itself a little too easy and pat. There are some lovely visual gags (the goats, the cats, etc.), and I enjoyed the author’s subtle acknowledgements of age coming for us all. A good read, even if I struggled with it.
