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Geek Love
Geek Love
Author: Katherine Dunn
Geek Love is the story of the Binewskis, a carny family whose mater- and paterfamilias set out–with the help of amphetamine, arsenic, and radioisotopes–to breed their own exhibit of human oddities. There’s Arturo the Aquaboy, who has flippers for limbs and a megalomaniac ambition worthy of Genghis Khan . . . Iphy and El...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780446391306
ISBN-10: 0446391301
Publication Date: 8/1993
Pages: 355
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 135

3.9 stars, based on 135 ratings
Publisher: Warner Books
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 6
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Geek Love on
Helpful Score: 8
I expected to like this because dark and quirky usually appeals to me. Instead, I found this grim and the characters hateful.
reviewed Geek Love on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
This is one of the most engrossing pieces of fiction I've read in years. Bought it for my girlfriend for Xmas a couple years ago on a whim, and by now it's been passed to everyone we can get to take it, we both have our own copies, and we highly recommend it to fans of bizarre modern fiction. I'd venture to say that fans of Chuck Palahniuk and his ouvre would definitely enjoy Geek Love.
reviewed Geek Love on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
I had no expectations of this book, and found it quite surprising. I enjoyed the overall concept and story, although parts of it were a bit more disturbing and bizarre than I would generally desire in a read. An intriguing look into an - albeit exaggerated - sub-culture.
reviewed Geek Love on
Helpful Score: 3
If you like quirky characters -- this book is for YOU! Follow a bizarre family's carnival life. You can't turn away from them.
reviewed Geek Love on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Read this on my daughter's recommendation that she loved it; I found it initially very hard to accept the general premise or to empathize with any of the characters, but it did grow on me. Would not have been my choice if not so highly recommended.
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reviewed Geek Love on + 2 more book reviews
This book should be called FREAK LOVE. I'm humored enough by it though!
eyeroll20s avatar reviewed Geek Love on + 3 more book reviews
this book was a little hard to get into, but i definitely recommend it. you can't go wrong with carny folk.
MissyRose avatar reviewed Geek Love on + 32 more book reviews
I had high hopes for this book, but it fell short of my expectations. The beginning kept me interested, but I lost interest in the last half of the book.
reviewed Geek Love on + 9 more book reviews
A fun, interesting, compelling read. A great book to take with you on the beach!
author-wwiinovel avatar reviewed Geek Love on + 21 more book reviews
Some might call the subject matter of Geek Love controversial, even objectionable, but there is no doubt that the skill with which this compelling novel, though admittedly unpleasant at times, is absolutely mesmerizing. Once I began to read it I had to finish it as soon as possible. It turns out that although the story is set in the world of carnival, the story is more about family relationships and the nature of man. Not to be missed by discriminating readers.
Naiche avatar reviewed Geek Love on + 91 more book reviews
I was hoping for a bit more of the title - people with non-normative bodies and minds seeking love and joy. Instead this is an endless slog of cruelty, abuse, and othering.
hippysilverware avatar reviewed Geek Love on + 7 more book reviews
I /really/ enjoyed this book. The only thing I didn't like about it was how there didn't seem like there was enough being told. Like there were only the main bits and pieces being told of both the present /and/ the past in order to come to a (somewhat disappointing) conclusion.

Aside from that, this was a /fun/ book, the perfect light read (to me). I didn't feel sorry for them, I didn't feel invested in them, it was truly a freak show for me to watch play out. The only people I did feel any emotion for were the parents, who I hated... with a passion.
perryfran avatar reviewed Geek Love on + 1164 more book reviews
This was really a bizarre story about the Binewski carny family who operate a traveling show called Fabulon. It was pretty unremarkable until the patriarch of the family, Al, decides that he and his wife, Lil, could manufacture a family of freaks by using drugs, insecticides and radioactivity. This results in the production of Arturo (Arty), the aqua boy, who has no limbs but does have short flippers he can use in water. Then comes a set of Siamese twins, Elly and Iphy, who are joined at the spine and have two sets of arms but only one set of legs and genitals. Then there's Olympia (Oly) who narrates the story and is a dwarf with a hunched back. And finally there is the outwardly normal but telekinetic Chick who really is the most powerful of the lot. The story takes place sometime in the past and is told mostly during the family's time running the carnival but it also tells of when Oly is older and she is living with her aged mother and her daughter, Miranda, in a rundown hotel.

I enjoyed the first part of the story but as it progressed, it became very dark and disturbing. Arty has an act that draws people to it and for some strange reason, the people want to be just like him. This results in a cult called Arturans who like their prophet, have pieces of themselves amputated to transcend appearance. Arty's pride and jealousy eventually brings an end to the carnival.

Overall, I was quite mixed on this one. Like I said, I did enjoy the beginnings of the novel and the bizarre carny life but as it progressed toward the Arturans and limb amputation, I just wanted the story to end. I know a lot of people highly recommend this novel but it really wasn't for me.


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