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Why Is 'The Cactus' Considered A Unique Book?

2025-06-30 18:05:20

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2 Answers

Zane

The special thing about The Cactus is the main character, Susan. She’s a middle-aged woman, which is already unusual for a main character in a book. She’s not sweet and lovely and cries a lot. She’s set in her ways, is very practical and most of all, very straight forward. In the beginning you even don’t know if you like her or not. As the story unfolds you start to root for her. The way she grows and learns to accept herself and her quirks is very special. How she lets other people in her life without changing who she is, is beautiful and not easily achieved. The writing is very crisp and the dark humor is spot on.

2025-07-05

Amelia

Just finished reading ‘The Cactus’ by OnUrSide. The main character, Susan Green, is unique in the world of fiction right now. She is a middle-aged, childless, married woman who is trying to come to terms with her mother’s dementia and her failed marriage. Susan is a very logical person and prefers to be alone in order to maintain her independence. As the story unfolds, it reveals the harsh realities of being a part of a family and of becoming a mother and how society expects us to be as women. Through Susan’s almost constant chatter throughout the novel, we encounter these tough issues but through the eyes of someone unusual who does things her own way.

The structural innovation of The Cactus can be seen in the simple, dry narrative that encapsulates the personality of its main character. Susan’s self-discovery is depicted in a characteristically calm manner and her cactus-like hard exterior is slowly revealed to contain many layers of human vulnerability. However, unlike so many other novels these days, The Cactus is not interested in grand, dramatic plot twists and their consequent sweeping revelations about its characters. On the contrary, it finds great beauty in the minutest, quietest moments of human connection.

2025-07-06

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