for me, this book was less about enjoyment (though i did very much enjoy it), and more about just sheer awe of machado’s talent.

this is undoubtedly one of the most creative things i’ve ever read. i had a little lightbulb moment at many points, like oh my god, how did she write this? this breaks literary boundaries in a way i have never seen before, and has really challenged my perspective on the craft of writing as a whole. 

the sheer attention to detail was phenomenal, and the versatility of this book goes to show for machado’s magnificent ability to write anything whilst conforming to nothing at all. the integration of queer history and theory at parts worked so well.

whilst reading the choose your own adventure chapter, i chose one route to follow then went back to the beginning to chose another, then eventually realised i was missing pages, and got confused and overwhelmed at the complexity of it all, and then it clicked: that’s the whole point. machado’s way of evoking emotion and frustration is incredible, she manages to do it in a discreet way that still feels like a punch in the face.

i would recommend this book to anyone; it’s a masterclass in writing and originality. i feel that this is one i will think about and go back to for a very long time.