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ClareR (5721 KP) rated Nasty Little Cuts in Books
Feb 24, 2022
I learnt a new phrase today: Domestic Noir. My ignorance is probably down to the fact that I would never normally read a book in this category. I’d avoid it. I’m glad that I didn’t let it put me off this time though, and after reading Tina’s previous book ‘Call Me Mummy’, I knew that I was going to be in for one hell of a good read.
This book is phenomenal. It’s read-it-thorough-your-fingers-with-your-eyes-shut kind of phenomenal.
Reading it on The Pigeonhole, one stave a day for 10 days was a feat of endurance - the wait between staves was tortuous. This is NOT an easy read, and should probably come with some sort of trigger warning. It’s dark, emotional, visceral. It’s violent and frankly traumatic.
Debs and Marc should probably have never got together, never mind got married and had children. They’re both emotionally scarred from terrible childhoods and have never confronted, or been treated for, these psychological and physical injuries. And now they just seem to vent their feelings on one another with physical violence.
There’s loads of backstory that explains why they are in their current predicament, and honestly, I did feel some sympathy for them. But then, and Tina Baker does this so well, she gives with one hand, and snatches away with the other. Every past revelation of abuse or trauma, is bookended by domestic violence.
Honestly, it sounds horrendous, doesn’t it? But I couldn’t stop reading. As I said on The Pigeonhole: What a reading experience this has been. I’ll leave a review, but what can I say that will do this book justice?
Well, I can say this: Read It.
This book is phenomenal. It’s read-it-thorough-your-fingers-with-your-eyes-shut kind of phenomenal.
Reading it on The Pigeonhole, one stave a day for 10 days was a feat of endurance - the wait between staves was tortuous. This is NOT an easy read, and should probably come with some sort of trigger warning. It’s dark, emotional, visceral. It’s violent and frankly traumatic.
Debs and Marc should probably have never got together, never mind got married and had children. They’re both emotionally scarred from terrible childhoods and have never confronted, or been treated for, these psychological and physical injuries. And now they just seem to vent their feelings on one another with physical violence.
There’s loads of backstory that explains why they are in their current predicament, and honestly, I did feel some sympathy for them. But then, and Tina Baker does this so well, she gives with one hand, and snatches away with the other. Every past revelation of abuse or trauma, is bookended by domestic violence.
Honestly, it sounds horrendous, doesn’t it? But I couldn’t stop reading. As I said on The Pigeonhole: What a reading experience this has been. I’ll leave a review, but what can I say that will do this book justice?
Well, I can say this: Read It.