The Cutprice Guignol

The very first truth about this novel is that I feel uncomfortable just typing out its title. And I must admit that this book was difficult to rate as a result. Honestly, the first time that I saw it I was immediately pretty ready to rage scream at someone about how awful it is that someone would think it was even remotely okay or, skies forbid and to hell with the awful soul who thinks it’s funny. But, the fortunate thing about Rape Jokes by Louise MacGregor is that, despite the obviously unfortunate choice in title, the book is an insightful and respectful fictional account of a young woman’s struggle to work through the incredible trauma that comes from having been raped, realizing the truth of that fact, coming to terms with that fact, and functioning within a society that does not take that trauma seriously alongside troubling men…