Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

128 reviews

manudonato's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

katmystery's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? Yes

5.0

This book wrecked me. I've enjoyed Rainbow Rowell's other works, but nothing hit me as hard as Eleanor & Park. It was messy, devastating, beautiful, and real, and I want nothing but the best for these characters after the final page.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

relapsedheretic's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-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

4.5

I read this again every few years, and every single time it never fails to make me both laugh and cry

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Pedophilia, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Blood, and War

lisewolters's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Bullying

Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Minor: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Abandonment, and Alcohol

andreaandre02's review against another edition

emotional funny slow-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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, and Abandonment

leontyna's review against another edition

emotional fast-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? No

3.0

I don't know how to rate it, on one hand reading this book feels like a teen experience and I liked most of the premise, on the other hand there are numerous issues with the way it's written. I read it in translation, so I wasn't even aware of some of them until I read some reviews (for example the slurs).
I picked it up from the library because I enjoyed Rowell's other books. I was aware of the problematic depiction of race in this one but I wanted to make my own opinion, so I decided to read it. Having finished it, I agree that Rowell made many unfortune choices writing it. There are parts that seem fine but on the whole I just wish Park wasn't Korean, since clearly the author didn't have much idea about the culture and there is so much explicit and subtle racism in the book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Minor: Addiction

jarthmar246's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism

skybluespines's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted sad 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? Yes

4.25

Check the TW!

I really enjoyed this book! It was very nostalgic, reminding me of what it feels like to be a teenager with a crush and dealing with big real life things. I loved all the music and comic references, even without being familiar with the specifics of the things referenced, haha. YA romance is a genre I tend to stay away from, but I'm really glad I read this one.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Racism

allingoodtime's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

I went into this book just knowing I was going to love it, I’ve been meaning to read it for years. Unfortunately, after it was first published and everyone loved on it I didn’t pay attention to anything else that was said about this book. I didn’t want my expectations to be too high. But if I had looked into current views on this story I probably wouldn’t have read it. It’s so hard to review this book because, on the one hand, I loved the story, on the other hand, it is racist and fatphobic and hard to read in the year 2024 when we know so much more (yes, more than even a mere 12 years ago when it was originally published) about internalized racism, bullying, body image issues, etc.

As I was reading this book I kept thinking, “I cannot be the only one that finds this racist!” After I read the book I looked into it, after all, I am a white woman and maybe I was wrong. Nope. My feelings about it were spot on. Hopefully, I can explain this correctly. I understand there was racism in the mid/late 1980s in a rural area. Park’s family is the only Asian family around. Of course there is racism. I even understand Park having internalized racism when he has a white father who is looked up to in the community and who he looks nothing like. However, the racism and Park’s feelings about himself and his mom are never addressed. Neither is Eleanor’s internalized fatphobia. In fact, Park has some not-so-nice thoughts about Eleanor even after they are a couple.

Here’s the thing. This book could have been amazing, even by 2024 standards, without the racism. The core of the story, the friendship between Eleanor and Park and Eleanor’s struggle to do what is right for herself, is beautiful. There are good lessons in this book, but they are overshadowed by the bad lessons. This is why it’s so important to have a push for Own Voices stories. From what I can tell the author is a white woman and it shows. I’m not going to give this book a star rating because I just cannot figure out how to do so. This book really didn’t age well and makes it nearly impossible. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Racism

mzl_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-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

4.5

Amazing and emotional. The romance is wonderful.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, and Racism