Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Traitor by Seth Dickinson

43 reviews

omniscienttrees's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of the best depictions of imperialism i've ever seen in fiction. This book also served as the best inoculation against the pain of 'bury your gays' tropes in media ever, and kind of cured me of the pain of a lot of films growing up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

colourpics's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

liokamino's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

perfect fucking book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

apheline's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Murder

Moderate: Xenophobia

thysparklyreads's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I really pushed myself to finish this book out of spite. I enjoyed the start of it a lot and hoped it would eventually become something else and it did.... just not what I wanted, at all.

Add to that them killing my favorite character and having a fade to black before anything remotely sexual happens (not even a kiss? really??????) and yeah, I won't be finishing this series. 

I know objectively that it's a good book and if you enjoy war/politics/strategy stories then this might be for you but I felt incredibly annoyed throughout most of it.
I just wish we'd gotten more of Baru as a human than Imperial Accountant TM but at some point I realized that's all we'd get and it's on me for continuing to read something I knew I wouldn't enjoy anymore.

Godspeed to those who choose to continue the series, may you not get scurvy! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and War

angievansprang's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book is truly a feat. An apropos read for this time in history as the story follows a rebel who insights uprisings as a favor to a larger colonial power, of which she is attempting to gut from within. A rich rumination on power, wealth, betrayal, and loyalty - this book will have you wondering what you would do in Baru’s shoes. What is the worth to you of the freedom of your own homeland? How far would you go to achieve this? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

emath98's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Pages 1-368 4.75 stars
Pages 369-399 1 star

I AM SO ANGRY AT SETH DICKINSON. This book started out with a super interesting premise, a main character I was rooting for, political intrigue, lesbianism, and anti-colonial struggle. I couldn't put it down. I even enjoyed Seth's typical use of intense military/economic strategy (did NOT like in Exordia, DNFed that one). But I cannot in good faith support the ending of this book. I don't think I'll read the rest of the series.

2 massive complaints about the end of this book.
1: I am soooo tired of the kill your gays trope. It's not interesting or unique or compelling to the plot. Stop making your queer characters suffer for being queer!!!
2: The ending of the book, and what I've read about the other 2 books in the series so far, really buy in to the "I can change the system from the inside" idea that has never worked. (The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house, anyone?) I know part of the point is to have Baru as a morally dubious character, sacrificing her humanity in an attempt to save her people, but I don't buy it as an effective tactic.  It feels so weird and icky that the "genius savant" who is apparently constantly able to trick and outsmart everyone, lands on sacrificing millions of innocent lives and the revolutionary hopes of other oppressed peoples for her own selfish gains as her brilliant tactic. I don't think her family would be proud of her. I am not proud of her. Maybe I should've seen it coming from the title...

 

In conclusion, could've been something really powerful and anti-colonial, but fell so flat to me in the end. Currently pretending that the final ~30 pages of the book do not exist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

emilyplun's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Racism, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and War

hailstorm3812's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I liked it but not as much as I thought I would. It's a very interesting story and I want to see where it goes but it is also a ceaseless bummer. I almost wish they hadn't told us about

the conversation with the council and just saw Baru's actions because I had trouble buying into the relationships knowing what she will do. I did love Tain Hu though, even know what was likely to come. I was sad but I knew it would happen. Maybe that's a good thing since Baru is so vividly painted that I felt like I knew her so well.

I need to know what happens next but I know I will feel bad. Wish me luck!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

species10026's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Colonisation

Moderate: Genocide and War