Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

21 reviews

water_violin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Definitely an interesting story, but clearly had been published in the 90s, given the portrayal of the only gay characters as predatory and sadistic. The portrayal of Romani travelers was also somewhat problematic to a modern eye, but at least they were not shown to be monolithically negative. I was personally not a fan of how the main relationship developed, as both of the characters were in turns somewhat emotionally manipulative or abusive, but it does make sense with the setting and characterization. Overall, some very unpleasant themes, but an interesting storyline. I’m curious to see how the rest of the books progress and whether there are any more diverse portrayals of queer or non-white characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Xenophobia, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, and Classism

csmall73's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

orcea's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

rebeca_sac7's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: War

leweylibrary's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

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

5.0

I never wrote a review the first time I read this book about 2ish years ago, so here we go!

So my first ever impression of Outlander was the show, but I hadn't seen it recently enough after reading the book the first time to track all the ways the story is interpreted on each medium, but they are quite different. There's a lot they cut or twisted a bit to make action happen and certain events happen faster on the show, and we see a lot more of Claire's thoughts in the book since she is the first-person narrator. I think the time in the books that it takes for Jamie and Claire to marry and then for their relationship to develop makes it feel all the more real and believable, especially when he's confronted with her real origins.

Other random thoughts, the show does a good job of using flashbacks to the 1940s to remind us that what she's experiencing now isn't her usual "normal" and to remind us of the historical and personal significance of what she's experiencing. If I didn't love this series as a whole so much, I would probably have been annoyed that this book ends with

a pregnancy trope

. I forgot how much of the

sexual assault and rape scene with Jamie and Randall

is in this book, for some reason I thought a lot of the detail came in the second through him recounting it? Oh and I forgot how absolutely lovely Jenny is in the book (they make her a bit mean to Claire in the show). Actually, they make Claire more blunt and aggressive on the show too, but again I think that was to up the drama and make the drama more visible. Claire and Jamie's wedding night and following day is just as swoon-worthy as I remember it, and damn it Jamie is a smooth talker and loves the shit out of her. I actually had a dream in which my fiance kinda merged with him? It was amazing lmao. He's so innocent when it comes to relationships at this point which is an interesting juxtaposition with how mature he is in so many other ways. The witch hunt part is pretty different than the show, they definitely play up her healing as witchy and at odds with the Father a ton which almost none of which happens in the book. But that realization that Geilis is

also a time traveler

hits just as hard as the first time. Oh, and Jamie's recovery after Wentworth is...a lot more intense than I remember it. Man that was rough. 

Overall I just have to say in the official capacity of this review that I love these books and the precedent that is begun in this one for the slow, decadent pace. Sure, there's a lot of detail that could be cut, but the story feels so much more real and immersive for it. I truly feel like I know these characters and am living life alongside them, especially Claire and Jamie. I desperately wish I was as cool as Claire (and it's crazy that she only gets cooler from here even after birthing a child lol), and Jamie is forever my favorite fictional man as far as a being a partner in a relationship goes. Besides that one scene. Iykyk

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Xenophobia, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy

coligmueller's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Homophobia and Religious bigotry

effervescent_worm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Colonisation

linnylionheart's review against another edition

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

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

confusedmuse's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

DNF about halfway through after this:

It's totally okay to beat your wife so long as it's because you rescued her from the evil homosexual who raped your sister and caused you, personally, such distress that you can't see her again. You can make it up to your wife by telling her about that time you almost wet yourself in public. That's definitely the worst thing that's ever happened to you, not that time that the evil homosexual nearly beat you to death in front of your dad, which caused him to have a stroke and die on the spot. This is all totally fine, especially since you ended up enjoying beating your wife and promised not to do it again.

For years I'd heard that this story is a fun, feminist, time-travel romance. Actually reading it made my head spin. Are y'all okay? Like, no shade, enjoy what you enjoy, but I'm amazed that a lot of the discussion I’ve seen around recommending the book is more “teehee, I love the romance, you gotta read it” and not “hey, the main character is threatened with rape several times throughout the book, just be aware if that’s not your cup of tea.” And that’s not even getting into the surprise

evil gay stereotype

villain. He was already evil enough, this story didn’t need to throw in

homophobia

on top of everything else. “Historical Accuracy” is an excuse that can only carry so far. Clearly I went into this with the wrong expectations, and maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I'd read a few more detailed reviews before going in, but because I was blindsided by all this, I did not have a fun time. Two stars because the writing itself is very good, and the author did craft believable characters and an interesting setting, but everything else… yikes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, Confinement, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

madchen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

This would be 5 stars if it weren't for the undertones of

homophobia

and lil whiffs of 

racism

here and there. Like I get that Black Jack Randall is a 

villain

  but did he really have to be an 

Evil Gay

  to trauma bond Claire and Jamie? Idk, I know this book isn't fresh as a daisy but I just can't find it in myself to give five stars and excuse a book because of "the time it was written in" and "historical accuracy". You do you, but my lil queer heart just can't do it at the moment. I watched the TV series before this and felt it there too, just in case anyone is wondering, though I doubt a lot of people are reading the book before watching the series at this point.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Death of parent