Reviews tagging 'Islamophobia'

Jordens Søjler by Ken Follett

7 reviews

dkamada's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

80% too long, hated inhabiting a torture rapist’s POV, so little of this book is actually about the cathedral! Hated all the men, only Aliena made this book worth finishing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

directorpurry's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-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? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Antisemitism, and War

Minor: Infidelity, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia

schnarlie's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Infertility, Racism, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Abandonment, and War

turtlebucket's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

Amazing read (twice) but I cannot give a 5 with the gratuitous and constant violence and sexual assault of women and the overt ways all male characters describe women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

seanml's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.25

It can be hard to tell the difference between an author’s thoughts and a character’s thoughts. I’m still not entirely sure when a hypersexual thought came from Follett or when it came from 

Tom, or William

. The first half of this book had me unsure, reading through the atrocities of 

William Hamleigh

  in graphic detail, and the sexual emphasis placed on 

Ellen.

  However, by the second half it had gone above and beyond. I’m sure it isn’t perfect, but it is a monumental effort and execution. 8.5/10. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Ableism, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Self harm, Excrement, Islamophobia, and Cultural appropriation

utopiaandmelancholy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense 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? Yes

5.0

I was wary of this book despite a glowing recommendation as it was longer than anything I've read in years, so I put on a 10-hour Youtube video of medieval-sounding music and braced myself for a long slog. I needn't have worried - I was hooked from the prologue. I found the characters were easy to become familiar with, and whether they were drawn as 'good' or 'bad' archetypes or somewhere in between, their motivations were pretty consistent. I particularly enjoyed the self-assuredness of many of the female characters, and how much smarter than most of the men they are! Like other reviewers, I did find some of the graphic scenes of rape difficult to read, though they certainly serve to make the 'villains' utterly detestable. The plot is tightly woven - the ending ties up loose threads across the numerous characters' storylines. The amount of description was sufficient to establish a sense of place without needing to describe every feature, the pacing was good - I never found myself bored, even in the more sedate sections of the books - and the building of tension before more climactic events was masterful - I frequently found myself wanting to cheat and flick forward a few pages to know what would happen to the characters. The positioning of characters in the book at big historical events allowed these events to be conveyed with more immediacy, rather than always relying on hearing from messengers. I think it also helped to highlight the events at Kingsbridge and the trials of the characters there as a microcosm of the turbulent time it is set in, rather than being singularly exciting individuals. The central fixture of cathedral-building was also a nice insight into the developing architecture of the time. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will certainly read the sequel soon to find out what happens to Kingsbridge next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Pregnancy

Minor: Antisemitism and Islamophobia

null's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

I was recommended this book on the promise of intrigue, suspense, and complex storytelling. What I got was ecclesiastical bickering, bland descriptions of sex that often went on for multiple pages, and multiple unnecessary rape scenes. Do not bother with this one. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Pedophilia and Islamophobia

Minor: Animal cruelty