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uranaishi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Confinement, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Drug use, Genocide, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Cannibalism, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism
amsswim's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The author and book are such a product of their time and it shows. THis book was written in 1961, and has moments of laughable (in my opinion) sexism and homophobia. It reads always blatantly as the author speaking through, but then he goes on from that and frames out the most progressive, sex-positive, all-inclusive way of life that combats the hateful views he clearly has but manages to not see that at all past his own self-insertion into the story.
The actual plot of the book is fascinating, the world building is amazing, and it is generally light hearted. The switch up it does is strange but did not ruin it for me. And the part-dated-part-weirdly-progressive views, adds a spice of a technologically advanced society that still has the political views and strife of 1960s America.
I'd say this book was well written, but content/views just need to be taken with a grain of salt. I had a blast listening to this one on Libby, it feels more like a Coen Brothers movie some of the time. Not for everyone, but lets talk books if anyone else decides to read.
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Cult/religious zealotrylittleclerk's review against another edition
1.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
haleyshort's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5
I recommended this for one of my book clubs after reading “The Mountain in the Sea” because the questions about what it means to be human and how we understand justice and freedom reminded me of this book. I listened to it on this read and had such a different experience. I don’t know if it was the lens of having recommended it to a group of 11 people that I don’t know all that well or the listening or the having grown up a little since my last read but the icky parts felt so much ickier. At the end of the story I do still enjoy it and think that it has a lot of value as a part of the canon and in forcing us to ask some questions about why we live how we live. There’s a reason it was so influential. But the misogyny and homophobia are both so intense and gross and totally out of line with the philosophy of the book in general. Heinlein’s perspective really shines through, negatively, on those ends.
I don’t agree with others criticisms that the female characters don’t have agency - the narrators voice is misogynistic and there is clearly patriarchy in the world that they live in but they end up with a lot of power and control in the microcosm that is created in the final 1/4 of the book. I am really looking forward to discussing this (and hoping it hasn’t ruined my book club reputation).
First read:
4.5
This was such a joy to read. After reading “Job: A Comedy of Justice,” I knew that I needed to experience another Heinlein story. This absolutely did not disappoint. The casual misogyny and racism are countered by disarmingly progressive views about the nature of humanity and the capacity we have to connect with and love each other. The way that Heinlein frames and questions faith, love, sex, religion, brotherhood, and family will stay with me, along with the characters and their wonderful idiosyncrasies.
One line in the book made me incredibly uncomfortable, so I will add a content warning about discussions of sexual assault.
I’m a lifelong Atheist, with aspirations towards Agnosticism, but I am on board with the church of the Man from Mars. Thou art God indeed.
Graphic: Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War
shieldbearer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
This book has all the qualities i hated in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but dialed up even more. There's no denying that it's an influential book, or even that some of the concepts the Heinlein is trying to get across are important. The problem is that he can't seem to engage in these discussions without being racist. The good parts of the book are heavily intwined with racism and ableism, and there's so much else going on that honestly I cannot recommend this book even with a critical read through. Someone could do something incredible with the base concept, but it's not worth the time taken to read.
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Islamophobia, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Pregnancy