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Infandous
Sephora Golding lives in the shadow of her unbelievably beautiful mother. Even though they scrape by in the seedier part of Venice Beach, she's always felt lucky. As a child, she imagined she was a minor but beloved character in her mother's fairy tale. But now, at sixteen, the fairy tale is less Disney and more Grimm. And she wants the story to be her own. Then she meets Felix, and the fairy tale takes a turn she never imagined. Sometimes, a story is just a way to hide the unspeakable in plain sight.
Unknown Binding
First published March 1, 2015
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About the author
Elana K. Arnold
42 books1,077 followersELANA K. ARNOLD writes books for and about children and teens. She holds a master’s degree in Creative Writing/Fiction from the University of California, Davis where she has taught Creative Writing and Adolescent Literature. Her most recent YA novel, DAMSEL, is a Printz Honor book, Her 2017 novel, WHAT GIRLS ARE MADE OF, was a finalist for the National Book Award, and her middle grade novel, A BOY CALLED BAT, is a Junior Library Guild Selection. A parent and educator living in Huntington Beach, California, Elana is a frequent speaker at schools, libraries, and writers’ conferences. Currently, Elana is the caretaker of seven pets, only three of which have fur. Sign up for her newsletter here: https://elanakarnold.us10.list-manage...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
December 11, 2018
Infandous - something that's too terrible to be spoken aloud.
I really dig Elana K. Arnold's novels, and love how she connects horrors of ancient fairy tales and myths to the lives of contemporary young women.
But every book of hers I've read so far made me want to vomit.
I really dig Elana K. Arnold's novels, and love how she connects horrors of ancient fairy tales and myths to the lives of contemporary young women.
But every book of hers I've read so far made me want to vomit.
August 16, 2015
******Spoiler Alert*****
I got this out of the library because the blurb had a bit about a mermaid and a wolf and the mother being a supermodel. So I presumed (silly me) that this was your typical lighthearted YA Urban Fantasy designed to spend a couple hours immersing the reader in an exotic life at Venice Beach with a girl who is half-mermaid and her glamourous mother.
Well, fast forward...
This is actually a book about a girl who is seduced and raped by her birth father. She copes with it by telling grisly versions of fairy tales...all of them centering around rape. This entire book is about rape.
People keep comparing it to Lolita, probably because it is written in a voice that's half magical realism and half pondering introspection not unlike Humbert Humbert. The writing shows skill. I have no qualms with the writing itself.
I have SERIOUS qualms with the way the book was marketed. I'm an avid reader. I read A LOT of books. I read across genres. This is not a scenario where I refuse to read anything other than YA Paranormal Romance. But if I'm in the mood for a fun paranormal romance about a mermaid at Venice Beach in the early days of August, then that's what I expect a book with this blurb to be about. Yes, there is some stuff about "reality being different from the fairy tale" but that could mean (and usually does in YAParRom) something like the boy she likes won't like her back and her mom won't let her hang out with her best friend and go surfing.
It seldom means "girl seduced and raped by her father, has mental and emotional break and spends book basically in the throes of breakdown."
I know the blurb was crafted for the exact reason I ended up reading the book. They wanted people to pick it up and be swept up in the good writing and not mind that THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT A GIRL SEDUCED AND RAPED BY HER FATHER.
The thing is...I do mind. I mind very much. I mind so much that I'm writing a review so that other people like me who mind can have someone out there saying "hold up. This is not the droid your looking for."
I got this out of the library because the blurb had a bit about a mermaid and a wolf and the mother being a supermodel. So I presumed (silly me) that this was your typical lighthearted YA Urban Fantasy designed to spend a couple hours immersing the reader in an exotic life at Venice Beach with a girl who is half-mermaid and her glamourous mother.
Well, fast forward...
This is actually a book about a girl who is seduced and raped by her birth father. She copes with it by telling grisly versions of fairy tales...all of them centering around rape. This entire book is about rape.
People keep comparing it to Lolita, probably because it is written in a voice that's half magical realism and half pondering introspection not unlike Humbert Humbert. The writing shows skill. I have no qualms with the writing itself.
I have SERIOUS qualms with the way the book was marketed. I'm an avid reader. I read A LOT of books. I read across genres. This is not a scenario where I refuse to read anything other than YA Paranormal Romance. But if I'm in the mood for a fun paranormal romance about a mermaid at Venice Beach in the early days of August, then that's what I expect a book with this blurb to be about. Yes, there is some stuff about "reality being different from the fairy tale" but that could mean (and usually does in YAParRom) something like the boy she likes won't like her back and her mom won't let her hang out with her best friend and go surfing.
It seldom means "girl seduced and raped by her father, has mental and emotional break and spends book basically in the throes of breakdown."
I know the blurb was crafted for the exact reason I ended up reading the book. They wanted people to pick it up and be swept up in the good writing and not mind that THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT A GIRL SEDUCED AND RAPED BY HER FATHER.
The thing is...I do mind. I mind very much. I mind so much that I'm writing a review so that other people like me who mind can have someone out there saying "hold up. This is not the droid your looking for."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2015
"Infandous": Too odious to be expressed or mentioned.
There are those books that grab you by the throat and don’t let go. Infandous is one such book. This is a short review of a short novel that is perfectly concise in its telling, beautiful in its writing, featuring a narrator with a strong voice and a story that is moving, discomfiting and ultimately healing.
Following young narrator Sephora Golding, we follow her through the summer before senior year. The story, taut and precise, follows the tentative steps of a young girl in the journey to womanhood: from her relationship with a beloved mother, their fraught livelihood in a one bedroom apartment, Seph’s creative pursuits and friendships, to her sexual awakening and experimentations moving toward a sense of self-determination. The latter I feel, is very important here and is expertly dealt by the author in the way that Sephora, in spite of things outside her control and the complicated choices she makes, is shown with sympathy, care and undeniable agency.
Seph’s world is populated with hardships and poverty, casual sexism and misogyny. Interspersed throughout are Seph’s musings on fairytales and mythology from Sleeping Beauty to Demeter and Persephone, Procne and Philomela. All stories centred on young women and agency.
A myth is not in the telling but in the endless retelling
From the opening pages, we know something is not quite well with Sephora. There is a feeling that runs through her musings as a narrator, that hint at trauma and unease which she is trying – her hardest – to work through.
Thus, one of the best – and most affecting – aspects of Infandous is exactly this: in the telling of the stories, in the creating of her art, lies the cathartic process of working through something infandous as a storyteller and artist in an attempt to come out on the other side. To be able to breathe.
Infandous is a superb contemporary YA novel. It reminded me a lot of the way that Stephanie Kuehn builds her stories like in Charm and Strange. It is also in the tradition of other recent feminist works by Courtney Summers, Rhiannon Thomas, Sarah McCarry and Laura Ruby.
There are those books that grab you by the throat and don’t let go. Infandous is one such book. This is a short review of a short novel that is perfectly concise in its telling, beautiful in its writing, featuring a narrator with a strong voice and a story that is moving, discomfiting and ultimately healing.
Following young narrator Sephora Golding, we follow her through the summer before senior year. The story, taut and precise, follows the tentative steps of a young girl in the journey to womanhood: from her relationship with a beloved mother, their fraught livelihood in a one bedroom apartment, Seph’s creative pursuits and friendships, to her sexual awakening and experimentations moving toward a sense of self-determination. The latter I feel, is very important here and is expertly dealt by the author in the way that Sephora, in spite of things outside her control and the complicated choices she makes, is shown with sympathy, care and undeniable agency.
Seph’s world is populated with hardships and poverty, casual sexism and misogyny. Interspersed throughout are Seph’s musings on fairytales and mythology from Sleeping Beauty to Demeter and Persephone, Procne and Philomela. All stories centred on young women and agency.
A myth is not in the telling but in the endless retelling
From the opening pages, we know something is not quite well with Sephora. There is a feeling that runs through her musings as a narrator, that hint at trauma and unease which she is trying – her hardest – to work through.
Thus, one of the best – and most affecting – aspects of Infandous is exactly this: in the telling of the stories, in the creating of her art, lies the cathartic process of working through something infandous as a storyteller and artist in an attempt to come out on the other side. To be able to breathe.
Infandous is a superb contemporary YA novel. It reminded me a lot of the way that Stephanie Kuehn builds her stories like in Charm and Strange. It is also in the tradition of other recent feminist works by Courtney Summers, Rhiannon Thomas, Sarah McCarry and Laura Ruby.
March 29, 2016
I remember reading a blog years ago about a girl who slept with her father - at first, by accident (she didn't know he was her ddd the first time), but later on they slept together AGAIN. And the girl enjpyed it.
My face was twisted into this expression of intense disgust the whole time... I remember the blogger writing "don't judge me" at some point - but all I could think when I saw that was, "um, yeah, I'm judging the hell out both of you and your creepy father and the wack incest relationship you have, ya freak.
This book reminded me of that awful blog I've been trying to forget ever since I read it. I mean, wtf did I just read? Yep, that's the first thought I had when I read THAT PART. The bit where she slept with her dad.
Gross. I don't have any other words for this book right now.
My face was twisted into this expression of intense disgust the whole time... I remember the blogger writing "don't judge me" at some point - but all I could think when I saw that was, "um, yeah, I'm judging the hell out both of you and your creepy father and the wack incest relationship you have, ya freak.
This book reminded me of that awful blog I've been trying to forget ever since I read it. I mean, wtf did I just read? Yep, that's the first thought I had when I read THAT PART. The bit where she slept with her dad.
Gross. I don't have any other words for this book right now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2015
(3.5 stars)
INFANDOUS is frustrating to me because it is almost a great book. It has a terrific narrator, Sephora Golding, who is unaware of just how unreliable she is. She's preoccupied with fairytales and myths, stories of women and sexuality and the terrible things that can happen. She's preoccupied with her mother's sexuality. She claims to be totally cool with her mom being gorgeous and desired and dating, but she's uncomfortable with her mom's newest beau, who is only twenty five and closer to Sephora's age.
Part of her preoccupation is something that happened not long ago. This is revealed early in the book, but you may want to skip it if you hate knowing any details. Sephora was picked up on the beach by a fortysomething man named Felix. She told him she was nineteen and in college and she thought he was amazing in bed, better than anyone else she'd ever slept with. But there's a reason for statutory rape laws. Sephora isn't really sure how she feels about what happened. She's only sixteen in reality, and Felix keeps calling even though she's never answered in months. It's a complex, thorny situation that Sephora can only think about indirectly. And then there is a ludicrous soap opera reveal that Sephora never really reacts to with any strong emotion.
But INFANDOUS isn't all sex. There's also Sephora's art, mostly sculptures she makes out of found objects and then photographs with interesting shadows. There's her relationship with Jeremy, her mom's boyfriend, who gets her a job and is pretty supportive, all things being said. There's also a detour with her richer aunt and cousins. (Sephora calls her and her mother broke and poor, but it's fairly obvious that they're just lower middle class.)
I liked the tales Elana K. Arnold retold between chapters of INFANDOUS. I like how the different strands of the story wove together, all held together by the things Sephora doesn't say and how she's too young to know that she's got a big blindspot about her own insight. But I felt like the story just got goofy and ended. I think it needed to cook a little longer.
INFANDOUS is frustrating to me because it is almost a great book. It has a terrific narrator, Sephora Golding, who is unaware of just how unreliable she is. She's preoccupied with fairytales and myths, stories of women and sexuality and the terrible things that can happen. She's preoccupied with her mother's sexuality. She claims to be totally cool with her mom being gorgeous and desired and dating, but she's uncomfortable with her mom's newest beau, who is only twenty five and closer to Sephora's age.
Part of her preoccupation is something that happened not long ago. This is revealed early in the book, but you may want to skip it if you hate knowing any details. Sephora was picked up on the beach by a fortysomething man named Felix. She told him she was nineteen and in college and she thought he was amazing in bed, better than anyone else she'd ever slept with. But there's a reason for statutory rape laws. Sephora isn't really sure how she feels about what happened. She's only sixteen in reality, and Felix keeps calling even though she's never answered in months. It's a complex, thorny situation that Sephora can only think about indirectly. And then there is a ludicrous soap opera reveal that Sephora never really reacts to with any strong emotion.
But INFANDOUS isn't all sex. There's also Sephora's art, mostly sculptures she makes out of found objects and then photographs with interesting shadows. There's her relationship with Jeremy, her mom's boyfriend, who gets her a job and is pretty supportive, all things being said. There's also a detour with her richer aunt and cousins. (Sephora calls her and her mother broke and poor, but it's fairly obvious that they're just lower middle class.)
I liked the tales Elana K. Arnold retold between chapters of INFANDOUS. I like how the different strands of the story wove together, all held together by the things Sephora doesn't say and how she's too young to know that she's got a big blindspot about her own insight. But I felt like the story just got goofy and ended. I think it needed to cook a little longer.
Read
February 15, 2015This is a dark, gritty, unflinching, and fearless story about girlhood and womanhood and "coming of age" in a very specific, very female way.
Interspersed between Sephora's story of growing up in the rough part of Venice Beach with her beautiful mother are the fractured, un-Disneyed fairy tales and myths about the ways men have raped and pillaged women for their own benefit. These are not sanitized, ugly, and brutal; they are the perfect metaphor for Seph's own story, where the glistening images of the beach and her mother's beauty are but superficial representations of the darkness in her own life and experiences.
Arnold plays on LOLITA here a bit, too -- but knowledge of that book is not necessary to wholeheartedly understand this story. Something terrible has happened in Seph's life, something disgusting, even, and she's wrestling with how to pack it away as part of who she is and what experiences she's had. Except That's what's at the crux of the story: it's about how men feel entitled to women and how women can too easily blame themselves for it.
More to come. This is outstanding and tough. Not for every reader, but those who love the realism of Stephanie Kuehn and the twisting of mythology of Sarah McCarry's All Our Pretty Songs series will eat this up.
Interspersed between Sephora's story of growing up in the rough part of Venice Beach with her beautiful mother are the fractured, un-Disneyed fairy tales and myths about the ways men have raped and pillaged women for their own benefit. These are not sanitized, ugly, and brutal; they are the perfect metaphor for Seph's own story, where the glistening images of the beach and her mother's beauty are but superficial representations of the darkness in her own life and experiences.
Arnold plays on LOLITA here a bit, too -- but knowledge of that book is not necessary to wholeheartedly understand this story. Something terrible has happened in Seph's life, something disgusting, even, and she's wrestling with how to pack it away as part of who she is and what experiences she's had. Except That's what's at the crux of the story: it's about how men feel entitled to women and how women can too easily blame themselves for it.
More to come. This is outstanding and tough. Not for every reader, but those who love the realism of Stephanie Kuehn and the twisting of mythology of Sarah McCarry's All Our Pretty Songs series will eat this up.
March 25, 2015
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
Ever finish a book and think "um, what exactly did I just read?". That sums up this book. Good day.
Fine, fine. A few things before we begin:
This book is kind of insane. There is a twist too, that was just... WHOA. Like, if you saw that coming too early, you and I might not want to speak anymore.
I don't usually do content warnings because I don't think they're usually necessary, but this one kind of needs a warning. It is definitely for a very mature YA, and if you are easily offended by things of a sexual nature, then this is probably not the book for you.
Okay then. Now, this book had some really big positives for me, but also some pretty significant negatives. We'll start with positives, because that makes me happier.
The Good:
Holy twist, Batman! Like I said before, if you saw this coming (somehow?) then I seriously am not sure what that says about your psyche. I didn't necessarily like the twist (I am not saying either way, read it for yourself!), but I didn't expect it either. I like being caught off guard, I really do.
The dark and messed up fairy tales were really fascinating. I think I may have liked some of them more than the actual story at hand! They were dispersed throughout the book, but they were very unsettling versions of stories we know on a much... tamer level. I don't even know how to describe these stories because they were so often horrifying and gruesome, but they certainly were unique and got my attention.
Sometimes, I really liked and felt for Sephora. There were moments that I really connected with her, and could sympathize with some of her plights. There was one really lovely quote that hit home for me that Sephora says:
"Have you ever had the feeling that you aren't the main character in the story of your life? That you fill a more minor role- supporting cast, maybe, comic relief, or even antagonist."*
There was some hope in an otherwise dismal setting. The backdrop was a beach, but that was about the only sunshine in this place. But there were glimmers of hope to make the tough stuff more bearable.
The not-so-good:
Sometimes, I didn't understand Sephora at all. She had a very weird relationship with her mother, and it kind of creeped me out. Sephora was almost jealous of her, but at the same time craved her. She also had a very weird fascination with her mother's body, and that just plain old grossed me out, because I really don't think people do that? I mean, maybe a very young child is fascinated by an adult's different body, but not a teen.
I didn't like most of the other characters in the book. These people all just made some horrible life choices, and I simply couldn't understand why. I understand when some of the characters can't get it together, but I don't really understand how none of them can. Like they need one big Dr. Phil intervention, perhaps.
This is a very character driven novel. Usually, I am fine with that, but when it is a character driven book and you either can't connect with or don't like most of the characters, things can get ugly. That said, it is a short book, so even the slower parts don't drag too much.
Bottom Line: While I may not have liked this book, I am glad I read it. It certainly threw me for loops on several occasions, and was interesting enough to keep my attention for sure. Obviously, I have mixed feelings, so it gets a middle of the road rating.
2.5*
*Quote taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change.
**Copy provided from publisher for review
December 6, 2014
I wouldn't say that I enjoyed this novel; it was more that I appreciated it. It is all jagged edges, the brusque tone like sandpaper to the skin - and that's why it was so strong. It is the impeccably woven story of Sephora, a girl coming into her own identity as an artist and a woman. Her relationships are fascinating and grotesque: a parasitic yet loving connection with her beautiful mother, her prickly yet loyal attachment to her best friend, and her own self-loathing yet self-preserving nature. But what I truly appreciated about this story was the way that Elana Arnold retold fairytales and Greek myths to build up the plot. The book was steeped in sexuality, but it wasn't sensual. Rather it takes you by a fistful of your hair and drags you into the painful, embarrassing and awkward journey to self-discovery. I wasn't surprised by Sephora's secret, but I don't think that was the point. I was swept up in the narrative, amused by her snark and heartbroken by her pain. In the end, it's not about "enjoying"; it's about understanding, and that's why I liked it so much. This was a great read with a killer title.
More reviews atA Story Addict
More reviews atA Story Addict
Read
March 2, 2015This tough, gritty, and unflinching story about girlhood and womanhood and “coming of age” in a very specific, very female way, is fearless. Infandous is the story of Sephora growing up in the rough part of Venice Beach with her beautiful mother, a horrific secret of what happened to her haunting the back of her mind. Between the chapters of her story are dark, un-Disneyed fairy tales and myths about the ways men have raped and pillaged women for their own benefit. These are ugly, brutal stories, and the perfect metaphor for Seph’s own life, where what looks like it should be nice and glistening on the surface is anything but. Arnold’s novel, which weighs in at just over 200 pages, is much more a study in character than it is plot driven, but the way she explores gender dynamics and sexuality is knock-out good. Fans of Francesca Lia Block’s weaving of the magical and fantastical with reality will eat this up. — Kelly Jensen
From The Best Books We Read In February: http://bookriot.com/2015/03/02/riot-r...
From The Best Books We Read In February: http://bookriot.com/2015/03/02/riot-r...
May 6, 2018
A myth is not in the telling but in the endless retelling.
March 31, 2015
A book about Los Angeles, navigating the treacherous landscape that is being a teenage girl, and the lies that fairy tales tell us. Lyrical and harrowing, it deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Janet Fitch's White Oleander.
March 29, 2015
2.5ish. Very languid & artsy fartsy, but not all that particularly interesting.
October 11, 2017
why is she so obsessed with her mum's boobs??? who knows
May 8, 2015
This book read like a mashup of White Oleander and Francesca Lia Block's style of magical realism. Any book that starts with a fairy tale of necrophilia, child birth and a return from the dead...oh and fairies, has got my attention.
What had my attention more was the fact that something so horrible happened to the protagonist that no one is mentioning it and when I found out what it was, I put the book down and rode the bus to work. I said nothing and just thought about it for awhile, then I picked up and finished the book.
We see Venice Beach through the eyes of Sephora Golding, a typical teen misfit (which may be harsh-she doesn't seem to fit in). We see how she spends her days working on art and her nights doing pretty much the same, but not a lot. I'm not going to get into it, but having never been to Venice Beach, it was refreshing to see it from a different perspective.
Sephora has always had a special relationship with her mother and it gets tested. Her mother hardly mentions Sephora's father and the family has disowned/ignored Sephora's mother. But, Sephora's aunt and uncle send for her to visit them in the lush south every summer. While she's away, Sephora can be a teen, imagine having a normal life and hang out with her semi tightwad cousins.
When she returns home, she walks back into the shitstorm that is her life. But is it though? Or is is something she's created?
I read somewhere that the "thing" that happened to Sephora was so traumatic that it explained why she acted the way she did. I didn't see that. I saw a kid looking for love from the important people in her life and receiving it in spurts. Until she reveals the secret, then it all changes.
If you read this book, pay close attention to the fairytales because they weave a bit of the actual story into them. It helps to break up the book, but not necessarily propel the book forward.
I read it pretty fast, I just got around to writing the review now. This publishing company also published "The Bunker Diaries", which was equally interesting.
What had my attention more was the fact that something so horrible happened to the protagonist that no one is mentioning it and when I found out what it was, I put the book down and rode the bus to work. I said nothing and just thought about it for awhile, then I picked up and finished the book.
We see Venice Beach through the eyes of Sephora Golding, a typical teen misfit (which may be harsh-she doesn't seem to fit in). We see how she spends her days working on art and her nights doing pretty much the same, but not a lot. I'm not going to get into it, but having never been to Venice Beach, it was refreshing to see it from a different perspective.
Sephora has always had a special relationship with her mother and it gets tested. Her mother hardly mentions Sephora's father and the family has disowned/ignored Sephora's mother. But, Sephora's aunt and uncle send for her to visit them in the lush south every summer. While she's away, Sephora can be a teen, imagine having a normal life and hang out with her semi tightwad cousins.
When she returns home, she walks back into the shitstorm that is her life. But is it though? Or is is something she's created?
I read somewhere that the "thing" that happened to Sephora was so traumatic that it explained why she acted the way she did. I didn't see that. I saw a kid looking for love from the important people in her life and receiving it in spurts. Until she reveals the secret, then it all changes.
If you read this book, pay close attention to the fairytales because they weave a bit of the actual story into them. It helps to break up the book, but not necessarily propel the book forward.
I read it pretty fast, I just got around to writing the review now. This publishing company also published "The Bunker Diaries", which was equally interesting.
January 22, 2016
THIS BOOK! Where do I start...first of all, Elana Arnold knows how to tell a story. Readers are initially sucked in by her beautiful storytelling of ancient myths and then transitioned to modern day Venice Beach, CA and introduced to Sephora, one of the most incredible female voices I've read in a long time. She parallels her life to Disney movies, fairy tales and myths - though hers is definitely less Disney and more Grimm. And once we are thrust headfirst into Sephora's world, that's an understatement. Powerful narrative with a gut-wrenching twist and insanely believable, original, dimensional characters. This book will keep you riveted to the very last page.
October 3, 2015
Smart, shocking.
Reality, fairy tales.
Powerful beauty.
Reality, fairy tales.
Powerful beauty.
November 21, 2014
So intoxicating, Arnold interweaves the darkest mythological stories into the contemporary life of Sephora in a way that can only be compared to books like Jackie Morse Kessler in their creativity and imagination.
Sephora is an artist with an unbreakable but mysterious relationship with her model mother, Rebecca--in part because of their closeness in age, but also in Rebecca's own upbringing and life after Sephora's birth. There's also a question of Sephora's father, though Sephora has never really asked but as the story unfolds and mythological chapters are peppered in as Arnold moves Sephora's story forward
The myths are not whitewashed, sanitized, nor Disney-fied making the content provocative, highly sexualized, and violent though perfectly stitched within Arnold's tapestry of situations and characters. And the realistic elements as Sephora surfs, attends summer school, tries to please her mother are starkly contrasted by the antiquity of the interspersed chapters.
This story is so beautifully organized and imagined that I will absolutely share it with an audience that can appreciate its uniqueness, richness, and style. It will not have wide, general appeal, but will be treasured by those who "get it" like readers of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender or Strands of Bronze and Gold that I adore.
Sephora is an artist with an unbreakable but mysterious relationship with her model mother, Rebecca--in part because of their closeness in age, but also in Rebecca's own upbringing and life after Sephora's birth. There's also a question of Sephora's father, though Sephora has never really asked but as the story unfolds and mythological chapters are peppered in as Arnold moves Sephora's story forward
The myths are not whitewashed, sanitized, nor Disney-fied making the content provocative, highly sexualized, and violent though perfectly stitched within Arnold's tapestry of situations and characters. And the realistic elements as Sephora surfs, attends summer school, tries to please her mother are starkly contrasted by the antiquity of the interspersed chapters.
This story is so beautifully organized and imagined that I will absolutely share it with an audience that can appreciate its uniqueness, richness, and style. It will not have wide, general appeal, but will be treasured by those who "get it" like readers of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender or Strands of Bronze and Gold that I adore.
March 10, 2015
I’ve been obsessed with Venice Beach for a while. I don’t know what it is but there is something about the artists, shops, the sun and the surf breaking against the shore in Venice Beach that I find whimsical. The entire reason I picked up Infandous was because it was set in Venice Beach. Unfortunately, Infandous was set in a very different Venice Beach then the one I know. It was set in the back alleys and dark shadows.
Infandous follows the story of Sephora, a Venice Beach local, and her mother a former model. Sephora is in summer school, trying to figure out how she feels about her mother dating, and she is keeping a secret. Sephora has a very weird relationship with her mother. The thoughts she has about her, and the ways she acts around her made it feel like she had an Oedipus-esque complex.
Infandous was well written but very gritty and actually kind of gross. Sephora has a strange relationship toward sex and her descriptions bordered on lurid. I thought for a large portion of this book that it was because she was raped (she wasn’t) but when Sephora’s secret came out I kind of understood her strange way of thinking, even if I didn’t like it.
One of the elements of this story that I enjoyed was that greek fables and fairy tales were interwoven with the story and told in their original format rather than the Disneyfied versions. It was interesting to read these stories and see how Arnold wove the story around them.
Overall, Infandous was a short and gritty read. It is very different from other books set in Venice Beach and I liked seeing the darker side of the town. Although I can’t say I fully enjoyed this novel, because I didn’t care for the subject matter, it was well written and I will definitely check out other novels Arnold writes in the future.
Infandous follows the story of Sephora, a Venice Beach local, and her mother a former model. Sephora is in summer school, trying to figure out how she feels about her mother dating, and she is keeping a secret. Sephora has a very weird relationship with her mother. The thoughts she has about her, and the ways she acts around her made it feel like she had an Oedipus-esque complex.
Infandous was well written but very gritty and actually kind of gross. Sephora has a strange relationship toward sex and her descriptions bordered on lurid. I thought for a large portion of this book that it was because she was raped (she wasn’t) but when Sephora’s secret came out I kind of understood her strange way of thinking, even if I didn’t like it.
One of the elements of this story that I enjoyed was that greek fables and fairy tales were interwoven with the story and told in their original format rather than the Disneyfied versions. It was interesting to read these stories and see how Arnold wove the story around them.
Overall, Infandous was a short and gritty read. It is very different from other books set in Venice Beach and I liked seeing the darker side of the town. Although I can’t say I fully enjoyed this novel, because I didn’t care for the subject matter, it was well written and I will definitely check out other novels Arnold writes in the future.
November 17, 2015
The obsolete word “infandous” is defined as something too odious to be expressed or mentioned. Yep. That pretty much sums up the big reveal in this book. Holy crap. Infandous is a gorgeously written story inspired from myths, legends, and fairy tales (I’m talking DARK fairy tales - think Grimm, not Disney). These myths, legends, and fairy tales are interspersed between chapters of the story of 16 year old Sephora and her stunningly beautiful mother. These ancient tales definitely set the tone for this novel. Sephora basically worships her mother (who she dreams was a mermaid before she fell in love with a human and conceived Sephora) and is incredibly protective of her (I was expecting jealousy to come into play; it doesn’t, how refreshing). The two of them live in a little apartment on the boardwalk of Venice, California. The author paints an alluring picture of Venice - not perfect, but real, gritty, vibrant, alive, flawed, loved. It’s Sephora’s coming-of-age story, but by no means is it typical. In addition to creating her art, going to summer school, traveling, and getting a job, Sephora does some experimenting and role playing to find herself. And has a major regret in the process. This major regret turns out to be the BIG REVEAL. Again, holy crap. I LOVED the writing in this book. It was descriptive, yet to the point. The way the tales foretold what would happen in Sephora’s story was crazy cool. I look forward to recommending Infandous to creative writing teachers, lovers of art, and passionate reading teens looking for something different and powerful. As for Gateway, I think it’s too out there; the appeal just isn’t going to be wide enough.
August 16, 2015
I really liked this new YA read, but the ending is not for the under 16 set in my opinion.
December 19, 2019
First, I loved the use of fairy tales and myths in this novel. So well played. I also loved how the protagonist was an artist and how her creative process was explained to me. I loved seeing the world through her eyes. I just also simply loved watching her evolve into herself. Before we met her, she was trying on...different personalities..."am I this type of girl?" and then she has her life changing "tragedy" and you watch her learn how to live with it, with herself, her concept of herself. And you watch her gather things...experiences...her interpretation of events she witnesses...like she gathers art materials in the world around her...and use them to figure out who she is and what she wants to be. Just amazing.
May 28, 2020
This is the first time, one of Arnold’s books took me by surprise. I knew something was up but I couldn’t figure out what it was until it unfolded before me. I‘ve liked all of Arnold’s books I‘ve read so far (though none of them were particularly nice books to read) and this, I think, is one of her better ones. I like how she writes, I like how all of her narrative is laced with an eery, uncomfortable feeling and how the atmosphere is both reminiscent of innocence as well as forcing you to recall all those bad things you‘d rather forget about.
I would definitely recommend Infandous, as I’d recommend all of Arnold’s stories. If you can’t handle darkness, though, her books are something to steer clear of.
I would definitely recommend Infandous, as I’d recommend all of Arnold’s stories. If you can’t handle darkness, though, her books are something to steer clear of.
Read
April 7, 2019Infandous by Elana K. Arnold is a book told from the perspective of Sephora otherwise known as Seph. During the past 16 years of Seph's life she's felt that she is more of a side character in the story of he life. While her mom seems to be star in her story, but her mom is so amazing and beautiful that she can't even blame her. Seph finds herself questioning if she messed up her mothers life, and many other things about her own. This book tells a dark story in an interesting way which I personally found fascinating. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys drama, romance, and a dark plot.
December 6, 2022
Well. I definitely see why people are challenging this book. However, I still firmly believe that banning a book from a library is always the wrong decision.
While disturbing, this book was really well written. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but I was still invested in the story. The twist was excellent (though again, disturbing), but felt glossed over.
All in all, a compelling read.
While disturbing, this book was really well written. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but I was still invested in the story. The twist was excellent (though again, disturbing), but felt glossed over.
All in all, a compelling read.
Read
November 7, 20205*
I love Elana K. Arnold's books so much. They're incredible, every single one, but Infandous was the first one I fell in love with, my baby girl Seph. These are not easy books, but if you can handle the dark subject matter, they're so, so worth it.
I love Elana K. Arnold's books so much. They're incredible, every single one, but Infandous was the first one I fell in love with, my baby girl Seph. These are not easy books, but if you can handle the dark subject matter, they're so, so worth it.
May 25, 2024
oh…um…wow…?
January 4, 2018
Ah. Where to start. How 'bout the good stuff first. Okay, so my first rating was 1/5 stars. My second rating is 2/5 stars. And before you ask, "Why would you read the book again if you didn't like it the first time?", let me explain.
Like any sane reader, I rate books. Less for the 'I want my opinion out there', more for the 'I need to rate it so that I know I've read it before and therefore don't waste my time rereading it if I don't want to'.
Case in point, when I decided to borrow the ebook from the digital library the second time... you guessed it. Either I had forgotten to rate it, or it was so terrible I decided not to give it ANY stars. (I've decided not to do that anymore.)
The first time around, I gave it 1 star (or zero) because, if I recall correctly, not only was the story NOTHING like the summary, but it dealt with things my innocent little mind couldn't-- and didn't want to- comprehend. I won't spoil things, but here's the gist of it:
I WAS EXPECTING FAIRY TALES. TWISTED, A LITTLE UGLY, YES, BUT fairy tales NONETHELESS.
Instead, I got a disturbing peek into the imagination of somebody who took the original Grimm stories and applied them to real life and TOOK THEM WAY TO FAR.
I get it, really. Things like rape and incest happen in real life. True. I'm sorry I can't face the facts. But this book is too close and vulgar and REAL and intense and deep and emotionally draining that I couldn't bear to read it a second time.
The second time I borrowed it, it started off well. I read the sample, the summary, the blurb. It looked interesting, and somewhere in the back of my head, I thought, hmmm this looks familiar. (You know you've read a lot of books when the plots of past books get jumbled and mismatched inside your head.)
I should have stopped there, but no I read on.
Oof.
I got to the second chapter and couldn't go on. That voice in the back of my head that was telling me I knew what was gonna happen next had gotten louder. And I agreed. So I looked this up on Goodreads, et voila! I had given it one star. I knew what happened, vaguely, scrolling through the comments.
Good points:
- the author is superb at writing. I mean, that's what drew me in.
- the creativity is astounding and I applaud the imagination and design that went on
- the fairy tales in between parts
Bad points:
- usage of foul language. it's-- in my opinion-- overdone and a distraction from what might've otherwise been a good reading (aside from the plot, of course)
- the main themes of the story were rape and incest
- the mood of the story was depressing, from start to finish (from what I recall, and having skipped to the end second time around)
- love is kind of entirely absent from the story
So in the end, the only thing I can truly say, I suppose is:
NOT FOR ME.
Like any sane reader, I rate books. Less for the 'I want my opinion out there', more for the 'I need to rate it so that I know I've read it before and therefore don't waste my time rereading it if I don't want to'.
Case in point, when I decided to borrow the ebook from the digital library the second time... you guessed it. Either I had forgotten to rate it, or it was so terrible I decided not to give it ANY stars. (I've decided not to do that anymore.)
The first time around, I gave it 1 star (or zero) because, if I recall correctly, not only was the story NOTHING like the summary, but it dealt with things my innocent little mind couldn't-- and didn't want to- comprehend. I won't spoil things, but here's the gist of it:
I WAS EXPECTING FAIRY TALES. TWISTED, A LITTLE UGLY, YES, BUT fairy tales NONETHELESS.
Instead, I got a disturbing peek into the imagination of somebody who took the original Grimm stories and applied them to real life and TOOK THEM WAY TO FAR.
I get it, really. Things like rape and incest happen in real life. True. I'm sorry I can't face the facts. But this book is too close and vulgar and REAL and intense and deep and emotionally draining that I couldn't bear to read it a second time.
The second time I borrowed it, it started off well. I read the sample, the summary, the blurb. It looked interesting, and somewhere in the back of my head, I thought, hmmm this looks familiar. (You know you've read a lot of books when the plots of past books get jumbled and mismatched inside your head.)
I should have stopped there, but no I read on.
Oof.
I got to the second chapter and couldn't go on. That voice in the back of my head that was telling me I knew what was gonna happen next had gotten louder. And I agreed. So I looked this up on Goodreads, et voila! I had given it one star. I knew what happened, vaguely, scrolling through the comments.
Good points:
- the author is superb at writing. I mean, that's what drew me in.
- the creativity is astounding and I applaud the imagination and design that went on
- the fairy tales in between parts
Bad points:
- usage of foul language. it's-- in my opinion-- overdone and a distraction from what might've otherwise been a good reading (aside from the plot, of course)
- the main themes of the story were rape and incest
- the mood of the story was depressing, from start to finish (from what I recall, and having skipped to the end second time around)
- love is kind of entirely absent from the story
So in the end, the only thing I can truly say, I suppose is:
NOT FOR ME.
October 13, 2015
For those of you who don’t know, infandous means to odious to be expressed of mentioned. It will make more sense when you finish the book.
Infadous starts with the story of Sleeping Beauty, the one most people don’t know. Let’s just say, it would at least be rated R if that version became a movie. And it certainly wouldn’t be Disney. And there are a few other stories also told throughout story, like Persephone’s, and tied them into the story. It is a great way to tell a story, and the subtle foreshadowing and nods to the story were great. Also, do NOT read this book if you are sensitive to any sort of language or sex.
The main character is Seph. Seph isn’t like most YA heroines, if any. Her tone is slightly remiss of Holden Caulfield, but that’s because they are both pessimists with a bit of an holier than thou complex. But she is NOT Holden Caulfield, and this is certainly not Catcher in the Rye by any means. This is gritty and terrifying, and if you plan to read this book, you will want to read it with someone or find other people who have read them because this is the type of book that needs to be talked about. Back to Seph, she is strong but broken. And you don’t know why because even though her life kind of sucks, she has a mom who loves her and a home and friends. And then you find out. Cause this is her story. And it is messed up.
SPOILERS
So did anyone know about Felix? Did anyone? Because I flipped. And creeped out. Bad enough he’s a grown man and she’s a child. (By the way, it’s illegal. Statutory rape. Felix is in the wrong.) And it’s gross.
END SPOILERS
Seph’s art and the descriptions of them were so great, I really want to see it now. Also, her mom is interesting. All the other characters besides Seph felt 2 dimensional, as if Seph couldn’t completely understand them. Like, they would be more complex with a story of their own.
This book as a whole is amazing. I don’t know if I enjoyed this book, but it has my utmost respect. I’m giving it four stars because I can’t give it anything lower. I recommend this book to anyone who wants anything different from anything else and doesn’t mind gory details of real life. Just really an amazing book. And please talk to me about it, if you have read it or plan to.
Bonus Quotes:
“Thing don’t really turn out the way they do in fairy tales. I’m telling you that right up front, so you’re not disappointed latest.”
“Have you ever had the feeling that you aren’t the main character in the story of your life? That you fill a more minor role- supporting cast, maybe, comic relief, or even antagonist.”
Infadous starts with the story of Sleeping Beauty, the one most people don’t know. Let’s just say, it would at least be rated R if that version became a movie. And it certainly wouldn’t be Disney. And there are a few other stories also told throughout story, like Persephone’s, and tied them into the story. It is a great way to tell a story, and the subtle foreshadowing and nods to the story were great. Also, do NOT read this book if you are sensitive to any sort of language or sex.
The main character is Seph. Seph isn’t like most YA heroines, if any. Her tone is slightly remiss of Holden Caulfield, but that’s because they are both pessimists with a bit of an holier than thou complex. But she is NOT Holden Caulfield, and this is certainly not Catcher in the Rye by any means. This is gritty and terrifying, and if you plan to read this book, you will want to read it with someone or find other people who have read them because this is the type of book that needs to be talked about. Back to Seph, she is strong but broken. And you don’t know why because even though her life kind of sucks, she has a mom who loves her and a home and friends. And then you find out. Cause this is her story. And it is messed up.
SPOILERS
So did anyone know about Felix? Did anyone? Because I flipped. And creeped out. Bad enough he’s a grown man and she’s a child. (By the way, it’s illegal. Statutory rape. Felix is in the wrong.) And it’s gross.
END SPOILERS
Seph’s art and the descriptions of them were so great, I really want to see it now. Also, her mom is interesting. All the other characters besides Seph felt 2 dimensional, as if Seph couldn’t completely understand them. Like, they would be more complex with a story of their own.
This book as a whole is amazing. I don’t know if I enjoyed this book, but it has my utmost respect. I’m giving it four stars because I can’t give it anything lower. I recommend this book to anyone who wants anything different from anything else and doesn’t mind gory details of real life. Just really an amazing book. And please talk to me about it, if you have read it or plan to.
Bonus Quotes:
“Thing don’t really turn out the way they do in fairy tales. I’m telling you that right up front, so you’re not disappointed latest.”
“Have you ever had the feeling that you aren’t the main character in the story of your life? That you fill a more minor role- supporting cast, maybe, comic relief, or even antagonist.”
June 6, 2015
The story of a girl who's life is like a fairy tale.
"stories - and nights - don't always end where they should." "Fairy tales are like that, The real ones, the originals, before Disney raped them.""He whitewashed the the shit out of the gory, sexy originals"
Whenever I read a book written this well I wonder who else might enjoy it as much as me. This one though, even the title, "Infandous" should warn you away. Well, if anyone knew what the word meant.
"It means something that's too terrible to be spoken aloud."
This is a story of a girl who's life is like a fairy tale.
A girl who's life contains all of the hurt and pain the originals contained. One in which the ending brings a small amount of joy in her life. But you have to wonder if it's "just a reprieve. There's more in store for her, farther to travel, heavier burdens to bear."
Do you enjoy fairy tales?
March 15, 2015
I started this with a little trepidation, thinking "Oh no, another angsty teen fairy tale tragedy." But I ended up pleasantly surprised with the skillful use of grim tales to foreshadow Sephora's personal experiences. There is no melodrama or overly emotional description which ends up really working to show the depth of her struggles. As the fairy tale chapters interweave with the modern day events, the outcome becomes a bit predictable, but still worth the read. Great for older teens and adults. Definitely instills a desire to reread some of the darker legends and tales.
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