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literatureaesthetic 's review for:
Magma
by Thora Hjörleifsdóttir
Rating: ★★★✯☆ stars
Triggers: self-harm, attempted suicide, abusive relationships, gaslighting, cheating, rape
First of all, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS COVER?! It's stunning.
Anyways, this book was heartbreaking to read. Magma follows Lilja's slow descent into depression and ill health due to her toxic and abusive boyfriend. This book infuriated me, I despised the boyfriend so much. The author does a great job at developing characters, especially when you consider that the novel is written in prose.
I appreciate that this is a commentary on modern-day toxic relationships. I think the reason why Lilja was unable to see that her boyfriend is abusive, is because of how toxic relationships are constantly romanticised in pop culture. For example, in the novel, there is a scene where Lilja is talking about how her boyfriend has suffered through a lot as a child, and how she needs to support him. This is obviously a reference to the trope where the male is victim of some form of abuse as a child and the PTSD results in him being cruel and awful when he's older. The woman comes along and then "saves" him. The author exposes how unrealistic and harmful this trope can be. Lilja believes that he loves her, she believes she is helping him by staying in an abusive relationship with him.
Heartbreaking, right?
Magma deals with some very heavy topics, which made this a very difficult book to read. Lilja is gaslighted and emotionally abused, and it's awful and upsetting to read. But I think it's also such an important thing to include in a book. I think topics like this definitely need to be discussed more, and Magma, at least in my opinion, dealt with these sensitive topics and discussions in a great way.
The format was an interesting choice by the author, I'm not sure if it was the right one. This novel is written in prose. This meant that we could only see snippets into their life, but it also meant that everything was so blunt and abrupt. The writing style created a disconnect of sorts. A barrier that made it difficult to completely relate with Lilja. I will say, that the deterioration of Lilja's mental health was written fantastically. I could really feel her pain, and seeing her decline was honestly tragic.
Honestly, this book reminded me a lot of [b:My Dark Vanessa|44890081|My Dark Vanessa|Kate Elizabeth Russell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1583447793l/44890081._SY75_.jpg|67044583], in the way that it deals with a woman who is gaslighted and abused. It focuses on the horrific things that they face in these abusive relationships. However, Magma didn't do it as well as My Dark Vanessa did. Again, I think that's because of the writing style, and because of how short it is. Everything progressed way too quickly.
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Triggers: self-harm, attempted suicide, abusive relationships, gaslighting, cheating, rape
First of all, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS COVER?! It's stunning.
Anyways, this book was heartbreaking to read. Magma follows Lilja's slow descent into depression and ill health due to her toxic and abusive boyfriend. This book infuriated me, I despised the boyfriend so much. The author does a great job at developing characters, especially when you consider that the novel is written in prose.
I appreciate that this is a commentary on modern-day toxic relationships. I think the reason why Lilja was unable to see that her boyfriend is abusive, is because of how toxic relationships are constantly romanticised in pop culture. For example, in the novel, there is a scene where Lilja is talking about how her boyfriend has suffered through a lot as a child, and how she needs to support him. This is obviously a reference to the trope where the male is victim of some form of abuse as a child and the PTSD results in him being cruel and awful when he's older. The woman comes along and then "saves" him. The author exposes how unrealistic and harmful this trope can be. Lilja believes that he loves her, she believes she is helping him by staying in an abusive relationship with him.
'I'm going to help him. I've always had it so good that it's easy enough for me to shoulder a little bit of the pain he's carried for so long. I'll make it better.'
Heartbreaking, right?
Magma deals with some very heavy topics, which made this a very difficult book to read. Lilja is gaslighted and emotionally abused, and it's awful and upsetting to read. But I think it's also such an important thing to include in a book. I think topics like this definitely need to be discussed more, and Magma, at least in my opinion, dealt with these sensitive topics and discussions in a great way.
The format was an interesting choice by the author, I'm not sure if it was the right one. This novel is written in prose. This meant that we could only see snippets into their life, but it also meant that everything was so blunt and abrupt. The writing style created a disconnect of sorts. A barrier that made it difficult to completely relate with Lilja. I will say, that the deterioration of Lilja's mental health was written fantastically. I could really feel her pain, and seeing her decline was honestly tragic.
Honestly, this book reminded me a lot of [b:My Dark Vanessa|44890081|My Dark Vanessa|Kate Elizabeth Russell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1583447793l/44890081._SY75_.jpg|67044583], in the way that it deals with a woman who is gaslighted and abused. It focuses on the horrific things that they face in these abusive relationships. However, Magma didn't do it as well as My Dark Vanessa did. Again, I think that's because of the writing style, and because of how short it is. Everything progressed way too quickly.
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