Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

69 reviews

haaaleybeee's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad 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

3.75

This book is filled with juicy small town drama, but big TW for a sexual assault being a huge part of the rising and falling action. 
I am hypercritical of fiction that is going to make SA a major or minor plot point, this book doesn’t receive any less criticism. 

While I thought the flaws of Beartown and its inhabitants were enthralling and kept me hooked, I couldn’t help but feel like the SA lack of resolve seemed weak. However maybe that’s the point? Overall was a decent book but a little hard to push through at times. If you like insight into many characters lives, a morally gray environment, and, lest we forget, hockey; this book may be for you. Definitely an out of my comfort zone read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

gemstonejasper'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

5.0

Wow. Just woe. Beautiful story book kind of feel. The story is much more about the town rather than any specific character. Even with the huge cast of characters, it really tells the story of the town, it's community, values, and culture. 


Content Warning Clarification-Adult/minor relationship

a 17 year old boy rapes a 15 year old girl. I put that there because the age of consent where i live is 17

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Racism, Suicide, and Stalking

gabi_715's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia

um_erca's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, and Xenophobia

risemini's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

serendipitous_mess's review against another edition

challenging dark funny sad tense

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia

hanhantap's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

adorablyandie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Sexism, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Homophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Xenophobia

clairebartholomew549's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

Several years ago I read Anxious People and found it almost unbearably moving. Ever since, I've heard people talk about Beartown, but I kept putting off reading it. I finally got around to reading it, and woof, what another almost unbearably touching book. This book covers hard content, but it's more about how people react to tragedy, how a community copes with violence and change, and the insidious and relentless nature of rape culture. It's obvious Backman has deep sympathy for each of his characters, even the ones perpetrating horrible acts and saying awful things, and he is so adept at charting a person's inner life that you find yourself at least somewhat understanding even the people in the narrative that you hate. Beartown is so vividly realized, and even though I'm not much of a hockey person, Backman makes you believe in the players and the town. This was an essential read, and I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail