Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

29 reviews

tangleroot_eli's review

adventurous emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

How much do I love this book? I love it so much that when I finished it, I set it down and stared into nothing for a few minutes, just to feel all the weird feels I was feeling. I love it so much that I didn't write down a single content warning while I was reading, because I didn't want to stop long enough to make a note of it. I just... love it, OK?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Body horror, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Fatphobia, Abortion, and Cultural appropriation

jackolanterns_in_august's review

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Classism

Minor: Misogyny and Sexual assault

stormeno's review

adventurous funny mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Fatphobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Abortion, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting

grimmarray's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Possibly one of the most interesting mixes of Lovecraftian horror and, to put it in simplest terms, identity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Xenophobia, and Colonisation

Moderate: Body horror and Homophobia

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Classism

dannythestreet's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Car accident, and Alcohol

travelseatsreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I've always been in love with New York City so when I saw the cover for The City We Became and then read the blurb I knew instantly this was one I wanted to read. TCWB is a powerful and entertaining piece of urban speculative fiction/fantasy which takes multiple no holds barred punches at societies' issues leaving the reader with a lot to think about.

The world building and characterization are absolutely sensational. Jemisin's portrayal of each of the city's boroughs as humans with their own very unique personalities is absolutely spot on and so captivating and entertaining. It's hard not to be automatically drawn to some characters and then to take an immediate dislike to others. The people, culture and vibes of each individual borough are portrayed so well in their human form it's almost uncanny.

While I really enjoyed reading it and found it so hard to put it down, there were definitely sections where I did feel a little bit disconnected. Jemisin goes in hard repeatedly on so many issues such as prejudice, gentrification, racism, xenophobia and homophobia and while all her points raise fantastic questions for discussion at times due to the intensity and nature of her commentary it did become to feel a little preachy.

There's so much to unpack that I think maybe I would have enjoyed it more as a buddy read to have someone to bounce thoughts off of and to discuss themes with. However, overall I loved this book and its characters and I cannot to read The World We Make.

A captivating, gritty, speculative fantasy love letter to NYC with so much to discuss and ponder. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Classism

Moderate: Abortion

leannanecdote's review

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Antisemitism, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, and Abortion

toyin_'s review

adventurous challenging funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Body horror, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism

blewballoon's review

funny inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I read this with a couple friends as a sort of impromptu mini book club. I would recommend it for a book club as there are a lot of interesting concepts in terms of the fantasy and social commentary. As one of my friends put it, this book definitely goes by the idea that "subtlety is for cowards" and most of the social commentary is completely overt. Our group was mixed in how much they liked how heavy handed it was. Some found it refreshing, others found it broke immersion in the story. One of the characters, to me, was especially unbearable and I would groan when I got to her chapters. The fantasy aspect of the human avatars of cities was amazing and I loved the concept of using constructs to channel their power. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, and Abortion

voxelbee's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Transphobia, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail