62 pages 2 hours read

Katherine Dunn

Geek Love

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1989

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn is the memoir of Olympia "Oly" Binewski, an albino hunchback dwarf, who recounts the story of her family of carnival "freaks" engineered by her parents through the use of illicit drugs and radiation. The narrative alternates between the family's past traveling with their carnival, the Binewski Fabulon, and Oly's present-day life in Portland, detailing the rise and fall of her brother Arty's cult called Arturism. Themes of manipulation, abuse, and devotion are explored amidst the family's unique dynamics and struggles.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn has been praised for its darkly imaginative storyline and unique characters, offering a deeply engrossing yet unsettling experience. Critics admire Dunn's ability to craft a narrative that is both bizarre and compelling. However, some reviewers find the content too disturbing and the pacing uneven. Overall, it remains a unique and thought-provoking read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Geek Love?

A reader who would enjoy Katherine Dunn's Geek Love is likely fascinated by dark, unconventional narratives and character-driven stories. Fans of Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club or the eerie family dynamics in Jeffrey Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides will appreciate this novel's exploration of human oddities and complex relationships.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Themes

Relationships: Family

Values/Ideas: Fate

Genre

American Literature

Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction