Reviews tagging Xenophobia

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin

18 reviews

mygnomehands's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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? No

4.0

 My initial take on this book was that I really loved it, but in the long run, I'm not sure that I actually did. It was a very painful read--it was rather tragic overall.
I think tagging this as a beautiful, platonic love story is woefully inadequate. Sure the book is about love, friendship, and work, but I found it to be mostly super toxic variants of those things.

I absolutely loved how motherhood was presented in this book. Acknowledging the darker, less IG perfect aspects of having a child is alway appreciated.

There was great representation in the book: one main character is Korean and Jewish (and comes off on the page as Ace), one is Jewish, and one is Korean Japanese. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Medical trauma, Abortion, Ableism, Injury/injury detail, Racism, Gun violence, Cancer, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Death, Grief, Murder, Sexual assault, and Suicide

eralbesu's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Murder, Abortion, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Minor: Blood, Cultural appropriation, Lesbophobia, and Xenophobia

coookiecat's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Confinement, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Eating disorder, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Ableism, Cursing, Body shaming, Grief, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion, Gore, Terminal illness, and Antisemitism

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Animal cruelty

katiemcgregor's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

What a freaking fantastic book.

I do feel that it dragged a bit in the middle and Sadie and Sam drove me crazy at times, but in such a realistically flawed way that I can't consider it a fault of the book.

I really think that Zevin nailed the pathos in this book. The second person pov was actually well done and effective (second person can be a major turn off for me if it feels awkward) and the writing was just ostentatious enough to be fitting for these characters, without making the book come off as unapproachable or self-important.

The immersiveness is the star of <I>Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow</I>. This book isn't about much in particular. We mostly just follow these characters through the most notable points of a 30 year portion of their lives. Yet somehow it's never boring. It's exciting, and frustrating, and heart-wrenching, and everything else you can feel.

I was especially effected by the way Zevin writes love (specifically pertaining to Sam's relation to it) and work (specifically Sadie's monologue about being born in a certain area)... which is fitting since the author's note specifically touches on how these are the focuses of the book. If that's all Zevin set out to write about, she achieved it, but <I>Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow</I> goes far beyond these things in a beautifully poignant portrayal of life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Vomit, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder, Cancer, and Terminal illness

Minor: Abortion

annaem's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Death, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gun violence, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia

Minor: Sexism, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, and Mental illness

meerunilaya's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

as a non gamer would not have ever picked up this book. But major kudos to a book that artfully wove together shakespeare, art history, and gaming. The characters are all extremely difficult to relate to and its a relatively emotionally painful read but interestingly told. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Abortion and Rape

Minor: Xenophobia and Racism

lilybearillini3's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective relaxing sad 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

This is easily one of the best books this year, if not the best fiction.  There were many points when I was moved to tears.  It is absolutely beautifully written and the narrator's voice (for the audiobook) was perfect and calming.  

I honestly don't know how to write a review for this and do it justice, I am at a loss of words.  It is a story of great friendship, love, and trials.  Every character had their complexities and were not always, if at all, likeable

Spoiler

except Marx, Marx is perfect

, but that is reality.

There was never a dull point of this book, I was interested and engaged the entire time.  The choice to show their friendship over decades was refreshing and I also really liked that we didn't switch POVs every chapter, I feel like that concept has been played out.  The video game nerd in me loved that the author did their research on video game history and what it takes to make video games.  While I don't like the miscommunication trope, I didn't find myself frustrated.  I understood why they weren't communicating because the characterization was so well done.

I normally don't go into books with expectations, but John Green said it was one of his favorite books of this year, so the need to read it was urgent.  John Green didn't let me down.  It was truly an honor to read Sadie, Sam, and Marx's journey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Ableism, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Transphobia

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Abortion, Drug use, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Antisemitism and Terminal illness

mkcate's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence

Moderate: Medical trauma

Minor: Racism, Homophobia, and Xenophobia

penofpossibilities's review against another edition

emotional

5.0

First off let's get this out of the way: Sam is modern day au Kaz Brekker. LISTEN. LISTENNNN. I know i'm right. I could write a comperative essay on them. But for the sake of keeping this review less chaotic I will not do it rn.

I was surprised by how much this is a story about theater; I knew it was about games and love but I haven't read any shakespeare apart from a midsummer night's dream and I do know, like, alot of the plots from alot of the plays, because its, you know, shakespeare. But I didn't recognize the title as a reference so it took me by pleasant surprise as a theatre girlie <3 !! I love to see love for the theatre explored in symbiosis with video games like this it was really inchresting to me and I enjoyed it alot so YEAH

(Sorry its 10pm and im so tired it feels like 1am and I need to sleep)

I LOVE the exploration of cronic pain and (medical) trauma and dissociation and escapism and internalised ableism like those things were very connected and felt so real 
And I could relate heavily to how characters in this book would step outside of their bodies either out of a desire not to be in them or involuntarily bcs of a traumatic experience like YEAH me TOO bro ✌
And like yea the author was definitely doing some of that "look how clever I am connecting these symbols I used earlier in the plot to this plot development later on" and it was also visible in word use which made me kinda feel like ok I know u are trying to be so clever rn and its a bit MUCH (very much in typical john green fashion so I guess thats why he loves it sm ???) BUt I dont really care like honestly fair enough if u write a spectacular novel like this ur allowed to be pretentious about it ,, i'd do the same thing fully so! It doesn't take away from my rating. This is a nitpicky thing either way like ,,, the book is SO beautiful like truly amazing-

I will come back to this review with favorite quotes!! I have lots

Oh ALSO ! Couldn't stop comparing sadie and sam to the mcs from mythic quest (my brain is tired im blanking on their names rn) but yk I think mythic quest characters are even more unlikable definitely preferred sadie and sam although ofc mythic quest is meant to be lighthearted and also there were very many overlapping themes especially about misogyny and interpersonal relationships between women in gaming and I think thats interesting !!!! 


Go read this !!!! And watch mythic quest !! 

I felt v much like this book would be a good one to recommend to fans of the seven husbands of evelyn hugo bcs this book crushed me in the same way that one did it just gives me simular vibes I cannot explain but trust me !!! Im right

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Car accident, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Vomit, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Sexism, Suicide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Antisemitism, Dementia, and Abortion

Internalized ableism, trauma (ptsd)

chichisode's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

if a little life was less trauma porn and more of just "life happens to us and sometimes life means shit", also video games and just games in general. but we keep going. fucking cried when the reasoning behind the title was revealed on page. strong read for escapists— yes, even when you're not a gamer.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, and Hate crime

Moderate: Car accident, Genocide, Ableism, Cancer, Abortion, Alcohol, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Suicide, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, Vomit, War, and Violence