63 pages • 2 hours read
Katherine DunnGeek Love
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1989A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
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
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 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.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsBook Details
Relationships: Family
Values/Ideas: Fate
American Literature
Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction