Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Дом в лазурном море by TJ Klune

16 reviews

bookishchef's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful fast-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

2.0

So I gave this a 4,5 when I originally read it. 

But I have since then v much changed my mind about TJ Klune and whether I condone him taking the Sixties Scoop as a form of inspiration. 

So now it's 2 stars. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Grief, Cannibalism, and Death of parent

leighmayon's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Body shaming

Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Cannibalism, and Murder

rai's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Body shaming and Mental illness

Minor: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

cultbyproxy's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted 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

The feeling of reading this book is akin to watching my favourite childhood movie, truly a heartwarming experience that leaves me in a puddle of happy tears. 

TJ Klune has created something special here and I hope everyone has the pleasure of enjoying this little slice of home. His dialogue has to be the best part of his writing, equal parts witty and endearing. Lucy is probably my favourite character in the book, quite possibly my favourite fictional six-year-old. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Genocide, Physical abuse, Violence, and Xenophobia

alycea's review against another edition

I learned that this book was “inspired” by the Sixties Scoop, and I have no interest in continuing to read a book that glamorizes residential schools and the genocide of Indigenous people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide

natverse's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.75

Here's the thing about this book, it is well-written. The author has a great style and the characters and children you meet are so freaking loveable, you cannot hate this book. But here's the other thing about this book, it repackages white saviourism. A non-magical white, queer man is our hero, meant to save the day for all the magical children.

Additionally, I know TJ Klune claims that his inspo came from real effects of the genocide of Indigenous people that are still being felt by their communities to this day, but it absolutely reads like someone who has very little understanding of what being marginalized is like. I can absolutely appreciate his message in "kindness", but it's extremely naive and misguided.

Residental schools are not a feel-good fantasy story. The Sixties Scoop isn't a fun scenario to rethink. If a random author revealed to me that they decided to write a fictionalized version of my grandfather's murder  but make it *fun* and heartwarming, I'd be pissed. Now add in hundreds of years of systemic oppression. Colonizers have always told their version of the story. So for another white guy to write his version of the story, once again, it's like...why?

I should add I didn't know about the residential school connection until someone mentioned it to me halfway through me reading this book, at which point the tone and context really changed for me. It also added an element of predictability with Linus. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment

Minor: Fatphobia, Genocide, Hate crime, and Forced institutionalization