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neugrowf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Rape
full_of_flowers's review against another edition
3.0
I was uncomfortable with the book's use of slurs; although this gets some context as the book unfolds, it doesn't feel justified or like it's accomplishing anything. Through such language, it exhibits characters' hateful attitudes without challenging them in a meaningful enough way. Additionally, there are moments that delve into very difficult topics, such as sexual violence and the treatment of marginalized communities, without proper acknowledgement or care. I do wonder if some of these issues read somewhat differently in the original Spanish, and may be interested in reading that version at some point.
Graphic: Homophobia and Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Transphobia
talonsontypewriters'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? Yes
1.25
The most interesting elements of that world, like an "instant sex change" injection, are treated effectively as set dressing, never really explored in depth. Instead, the meandering plot follows uninteresting, indistinct characters through events and timelines that are equally difficult to differentiate. Despite parts of their backstories being recounted in detail, I have no sense of who most of the characters are as people... other than their bigoted attitudes.
Such views being expressed by characters is one thing, but they're present in excess and never treated with especial gravity or challenged meaningfully by the narrative, and if anything seem reinforced by it. Black characters are invariably treated with disdain, to say nothing of the constant use of the N-word (by a non-Black author and translator), and the trans protagonist is only appropriately gendered after undergoing full physical transition, with no real conscious examination of his identity and experiences. Perhaps these are purposeful qualities of the setting, but if so it's never communicated well.
Could have probably been very interesting in a different format, but the combination of dense writing and gratuitous racism/homophobia and sexual violence made it far from an enjoyable read.
Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Sexual violence, Racism, Medical content, Misogyny, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexual content, Animal death, Murder, Death, Homophobia, Transphobia, Body horror, Gore, and Gun violence
Minor: Antisemitism, Incest, Pedophilia, Fatphobia, Vomit, Ableism, Abortion, and Child abuse
clara_ward's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Transphobia
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, and Biphobia
gotossmycausticsalad's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Minor: Racial slurs and Homophobia
Couple of instances of the n-word and a character says faggot a lot, but nothing too graphic.valpal77's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Addiction, Drug abuse, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Death
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Dysphoria
femmenova's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
Between that and finding out that the author is a whole ass non-Black person, which immediately made me reading the work uncomfortable because of the casual N-word being thrown around and how every Black supporting person in the book is hated by the main character(s).
Listen, I have read a lot of dark literary books that does not have a single redeeming character in them. Books like The Black Cathedral are of a similar tone to this one but the writing was far more simplistic and the millions of characters that were written were developed in a Show-Not-Dump way.
Not for me at all which sucks because I was excited to read this!
Graphic: Pedophilia, Homophobia, Addiction, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Murder, and Drug use
horizonous's review against another edition
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, and Transphobia
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
◦ Sexual content = Prostitutionraenyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Drug use, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Violence
whatadutchgirlreads's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Rape, Homophobia, and Racial slurs