Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

67 reviews

ashlyncherie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

What do I even say? I have never read a book that made me feel this way. It is absolute perfection. I shed tears for this book and for Darrow. Pierce Brown has written an emotional masterpiece that is top of the genre. This book will feel legendary in my heart for as long as I live. ❤️💛

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Alcohol

emwebz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Rape, and Sexism

driedmintleaves's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious 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

4.75

Like the hunger games but if the MC was actually the most confident sort-of-idiot ever. Sort of homestuck. Very fun.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Genocide, and Colonisation

mayhem9683's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Death, Sexism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Cannibalism

_mayaaa's review against another edition

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, and Violence

aengblom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense

4.5

This is my first time dabbling in science fiction and I am so happy this was the book I picked up! Brown has a way of writing these small but tender moments that are so memorable even amongst all the darkness, brutality, and gore. I cried in the first 100 pages which, while I am an emotional reader, I think is a testament to how good his writing is. The moments between Darrow and his people just pull at your heartstrings. I am a glutton for punishment and love reading flawed characters - all the emotional torment and complexity.... I eat it up. If you enjoy that too than you will definitely find that in this book! I also got Hunger Games × Game of Thrones (TV show) Mashup vibes which is just *chefs kiss.* 

I personally was not a fan of all the sexism and violence against women - nothing described in detail but it does state women were raped and "locker room talk" and jokes happen throughout. I guess even in the future of civilization sexism is still rampant *sigh*. I just personally do not like when violence against women is used in stories as a device of war or "what the bad guys do" when it is not followed by a more serious and tender victim focus. HOWEVER, it did not detract from the reading experience for me and I did really enjoy this novel. I just feel it is worthy of mention for those who may be triggered and are considering reading this book.

I am 100% going to jump into the next book as I cannot get enough of Darrow and the world of Red Rising! ❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Gore

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Rape

persychan's review against another edition

adventurous

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

2.5

 2,5 perchè si sentono tutti i loro anni e perchè il setting è tutto tranne che scifi, anche se finge di esserlo.

Il libro nel suo insieme è godibile, ben scritto e ha delle scene di azione incalzante, ma ha due grandi scogli.

La misoginia e omofobia casuale, che mentre in parte è giustificata dal "la società è terribile", è frequentemente anche figlia di "l'autore non sa scrivere i personaggi femminili ed esistono solo per essere belle, essere soggette a violenza sessuale o morire".
Eo è il più grande esempio di fridging dalla creazione del trope stesso (e c'è una seconda donna morta minore nel background di Darrow, nel caso non fosse abbastanza la moglie morta), ma anche le "badass" sono principalmente definite dal loro essere belle, piuttosto che qualunque altra cosa. E lo stesso LI che dovrebbe essere una tosta e fichissima, finisce per dover essere salvata 2 volte mentre è impossibilitata a fare nulla (compreso di rischio di stupro).

Ah sì, la quantità di violenza sessuale, grazie a dio non descritta, è assolutamente gratuita. Ma la tortura "normale", no eh? Poi ovviamente vittime solo donne.
Ah, la bellezza del ricco worldbuilding del futuro.

Superato questo, il secondo scoglio è che il setting ha pochissimo senso nel contesto scifi se ti fermi a pensarci cinque minuti e avrebbe funzionato meglio o da fantasy o da più vicino nel tempo cyberpunk/distopia. Soprattutto le tempistiche risultano bizzarre perchè sono almeno 500 che la loro società funziona così, nonostante siano sull'orlo di una guerra civile politica di faide ad ogni ricambio generazionele perchè è un sistema, volutamente, costruito per dare vita a suddette faide di sangue tra le famiglie al potere.
Come non si siano ancora cannonneggiate quando al potere c'è gente con PTSD grosso come delle case, addestrati alla violenza e con rancori e vendette in ogni famiglia, il tutto mentre l'intero sistema di caste sembra reggersi sul nulla se non vaga violenza (perchè ha sempre funzionato per tenere in piedi un reggime per secoli oh yeah), è un mistero divino.

Leggero il resto? Se lo trovo usato e se ho modo di leggerlo, come questo, facendo commenti sarcastici con gli amici. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Cannibalism, and War

kaseybereading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, War, and Classism

bookishholly's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I have so many conflicting feels about this book.

Potential spoilers and TW for r*pe mention

Overall I enjoyed Red Rising, I liked the setting and the overall story. I don't think it's saying something new or really adding anything of value other than entertainment to the world and sometimes that's ok. 
There were multiple times where I felt uncomfortable with the clear misogyny that I don't even know if the author is aware he has written. I admit that it was written 10 years ago but I thought even then that the insult of doing something "like a girl" was outdated. Also to me it feels like there is an undertone of casual homophobia. 
Essentially all of the main cast are insufferable and the fact that one character's attempted r*pe of another is so quickly moved on from is hard to swallow, especially since beginning book 2 and realising that they are still around. 
At this point, I intend to keep reading but that may change.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Grief, and Cannibalism

Minor: Excrement

dreadspawn's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Dysphoria

Minor: Cannibalism