澳大利亚媒体对美国作家杰西卡·诺尔的小说《Helpless》发表了严厉书评。[1]这部由Simon and Schuster出版、售价35美元的作品被定位为"扭转反转的色情惊悚小说"，[1]但评论认为其在处理性暴力和胁迫控制等敏感主题时"完全不令人信服"、"单调、廉价且生硬"。[1]
评论指出，尽管这部作品涉及复杂主题，但其表现手法流于表面，缺乏深度和真诚性，相比诺尔2023年的前作《Bright Young Women》的表现逊色。[1]评论还将诺尔与加拿大作家玛格丽特·阿特伍德进行对比，认为后者在处理类似主题时展现了更多的微妙性。[1]
The Sydney Morning Herald has published a negative review of American author Jessica Knoll's new novel "Helpless," marketed as a "twisty and twisted erotic thriller," criticizing its treatment of complex subject matter [1]. The reviewer found the work's exploration of sexual violence and coercive control to be "utterly unconvincing," "one-dimensional, cheap and contrived," suggesting the author failed to engage meaningfully with her provocative material [1]. This assessment stands in stark contrast to the critical reception of Knoll's 2023 novel "Bright Young Women," which had been well-received [1].
The review draws comparison to Canadian author Margaret Atwood, noting that Atwood handles similar thematic content with considerably greater nuance and sophistication [1]. Published by Simon and Schuster at $35, "Helpless" appears to represent a creative step backward for Knoll in the critic's view, prioritizing shock value over substance [1].