Member Reviews
A messy little book full of messy little characters, I can see why this is a marmite story to a lot of people - you either love it or you hate it. To me it was just ... meh. Always love to read sapphic books but this was only okay.
In spite of the shallow, unlikeable characters, Dykette was a solid 2.5-3 for the first 2/3-3/4 of the book. But ultimately, it's a 1 star, and I do not know to whom I could recommend this book.
No matter what I do, I cannot get into this book for the life of me. I've picked it up and set it down 3 different times and can never seem to get past the pretentiousness of the writing. It feels so out of place in what is supposed to be a fun, romp of a novel. So I'm finally calling it quits on this one, so sad it didn't work for me!
What a weird book. Sexy kinky and insecure. I don’t really know where we ended up or what we learned but the journey was somewhat interesting
2 stars. This had a lot of potential for me but didn't quite hit the mark by the time I was done with it. I struggled to like or find the characters relatable although sometimes that works it didn't for me here. I have a lot of mixed feelings and questions the book didn't answer for me. I feel like it needed stronger world building and less checkboxes to categorize queerness into. Idk it just wasn't for me.
I had higher expectations for this novel. I think what could have benefited this was another round of editing. It felt scattered and too long. There was so much explanation about what was being said, it was easy to get lost and forget what was happening plot wise. There is some great moments of exploration of the queer spectrum but it did feel repetitive after a certain point. While I do appreciate what this book does for queer literature, it did not land the way I had hoped for me.
jenny fran davis's novel, dykette presents a unique and thought-provoking narrative that delves into themes of identity, self-discovery, and acceptance. the story follows the protagonist as she navigates the complexities of her personal journey towards understanding her own sexuality and place in the world.
one of the standout aspects of the book is the way Davis captures the internal struggles and emotional nuances of the main character. readers are given a raw and honest glimpse into the protagonist's mind as she grapples with questions of identity and belonging. this introspective approach adds depth to the storytelling and allows for a more intimate connection with the character.
while dykette offers a compelling exploration of important themes, some readers may find the pacing to be slow at times. the narrative can meander, and certain plot points may feel underdeveloped or unresolved. additionally, the writing style, while engaging, may not appeal to all audiences.
I loved the variety of lesbian that were included in this book. We love an author who acknowledges and shows the fluidity and complexity of being queer.
I thought the main character was a little annoying, but it also really fit with the story so I think it had a purpose. I don't think I was supposed to like anyone in this book, and that was achieved. The choices characters made were strange, the coded conversations that would be flirty and suggestive and then cutting and degrading!!!, the mental calculations... truly reflect reality. I think this was all a bit exaggerated (and that feeling could very well be because of my lack of experiences similar to this) and that meant that sometimes I was rolling my eyes or just put off.
I think the description of this book makes it seem like the conflict of the livestream happens earlier into the book when it was actually wayyyy late into the book. It left me looking out for it and confused about why it wasn't happening only to then be confused as to why it happened so late. It made the ending feel rushed. And as far as the livestream goes, that was very disturbing lol. I really did not like it or understand the meaning of it (but at the same time, I often don't understand art like that).
Overall, I'm happy I read this even though I was frustrated with it and think there was some work to do with the structure of the book and character consistency, I appreciate its existence. I'd be interested in reading more from Davis. I think the stories they want to write are stories I want to read.
Funny, beautiful, and achingly human. I'm a sucker for a good queer novel, and this is one of the best! Queer romance and life are so unique, and we need more novels like this that explore the multi-faceted nature of these things. I'll be on the lookout for whatever Jenny Fran Davis writes next.
I found the language enjoyable, and this is a world that I know. Real queer writing. The fullness of it. "Gays hated overhead lighting" - lol! I enjoyed the lush writing & seeing characters I felt I already knew. Thanks for the ARC!
did not finish - gave it a chance but honestly just not my vibe and a review would not be a fair way to judge the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.
I bunch of women who are hornet and can’t stop having sex with each other. Did not see the point in finishing this book at half way through.
if a book is sapphic I will do every thing in my power it read it as soon as I can and I'm glad I did with this one
DNFd this one, it was just too weird and at first I was intrigued but it just never got better as I kept reading
I simply could not get into this book. first of all the character's names were too similar, I couldn't keep them straight. secondly it was a little nonsensical. not my cup of tea at all...
Thank you netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.!
This book had a very interesting literary voice. Strong and provocative.. and dressed as the grinch? Idk how I felt about it. I didn’t finish it, because I’m not sure it’s for me. I feel like people who like very outward, confident characters would love it though.
As always thank you to publishers and Netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.
I am absolutely confused and bamboozled by this book.
Dykette is a raw, messy, and outright weird insight into the lives of three queer couples. Told from the perspective of our MC Sasha, we follow all of the couples dynamics and relationships between each other. That is the only base plot of this book that I even understood. I was going into this expecting lyrical prose and some classic queer comradery, and discussions of relationship dynamics in different types of queer relationships. What I got was characters that refused to communicate on even the most basic of needs and consent, prose that felt horrible to get through, and by the end i was literally thinking what the fu** Did I just read? Also seriously provide TW’s!! Overall to quote another lovely reviewer on here “if you've ever wanted to read a book where they eat each-others eye gunk, talk about forehead vaginas, and/or smoke a cigar out of their vagina…this may be the book for you.”
so weird. so real. so unbelievable. just great. smiled the whole time. don't pick this up if you haven't read the summary because it might not be for you, but boy was it for me. i love terrible freaks.
I liked this book. Definitely had some weird parts which I didn't totally grasp but overall I liked the characters and the way they all interacted with one another.