Reviews tagging 'Cultural appropriation'

Избранные и прекрасные by Нги Во, Nghi Vo

3 reviews

writewithapendragon's review against another edition

challenging mysterious sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is short but it took me a longer time to read than I expected. Vo’s prose is beautifully poetic, each word carefully chosen. I want to go back and annotate, I enjoyed the language so much. Gatsby itself is so over-done that I wasn’t expecting this to be so unique and captivating, but it is a truly singular work.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

katierobertsonshaddix's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and War

melanie_reads's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

Gatsby lovers looking for a fresh take on your beloved's past, wowzers - Nghi Vo delivers. 

Take that 1920s glamour, throw in some magical realism, a hint of demonic mystery, and a bit more context of what was actually happening in the 1920s (esp. for women and the non-WASP set) and you have something new and breathtaking on your hands.

Is this plot-driven or character-drive? I'd say most people will come to this book with knowledge of the plot and in doing so, it becomes its own character. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit