zworlund's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Minor: War, Violence, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Death, Xenophobia, Misogyny, and Sexual content
swarmofbees's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Rape
unboxedjack's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
1.75
I thought I'd enjoy this, but it felt like what was a promising novel completely lost itself in the second half. The shift from a critical examination of culture, religion, and all that jazz to a gratuitous description of a sex cult made absolutely no sense. I tried to excuse Heinlein's repeated objectification and sexualization of women and absolute disparagement of anything other than heterosexuality as a sign of the times, but towards the end it felt like I was reading the inner machinations of a dirty old man. I'm not a prude and all for people feeling empowered by their sexuality, but Heinlein's characterization of women feeling as such was so much a product of the male gaze. Whether or not this was meant to be satirical--which I'll admit it did seem like this was the case at times--it was far too off-putting for my sensibilities. I can see why this novel may have been revolutionary for the time--the first half was definitely more engaging--but it simply didn't work for me.
Moderate: Cannibalism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexism, and Alcohol
booksthatburn's review against another edition
DNF 112 pages in.
It had the makings of a strong commentary on sexism, imperialism, and the way we treat those who either can’t speak for themselves or are never given the space to do so. I liked it at first, but it’s an emotional roller coaster because of the blend between kinds of bigotry which are clearly intentional and examined in the narrative and ones which don’t seem to be on purpose and are various kinds of casual racism/xenophobia or using words now understood as slurs. What made me stop was the realization that the portrayal of the titular character felt like an ableist and allistic understanding of an autistic person, complete with extremely literal interpretations of vernacular, and stress reactions which are difficult to describe without using the world "meltdown". This character was raised by aliens and is new to Earth, which was further troubling because it seemed to be associating classically (but not exclusively) autistic traits with being a literal visitor from outer space. It's possible that it gets better later, but I was too stressed out to see if it did.
It had the makings of a strong commentary on sexism, imperialism, and the way we treat those who either can’t speak for themselves or are never given the space to do so. I liked it at first, but it’s an emotional roller coaster because of the blend between kinds of bigotry which are clearly intentional and examined in the narrative and ones which don’t seem to be on purpose and are various kinds of casual racism/xenophobia or using words now understood as slurs. What made me stop was the realization that the portrayal of the titular character felt like an ableist and allistic understanding of an autistic person, complete with extremely literal interpretations of vernacular, and stress reactions which are difficult to describe without using the world "meltdown". This character was raised by aliens and is new to Earth, which was further troubling because it seemed to be associating classically (but not exclusively) autistic traits with being a literal visitor from outer space. It's possible that it gets better later, but I was too stressed out to see if it did.
Graphic: Ableism and Sexism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Racial slurs (minor), xenophobia (minor), domestic violence (backstory), ableism, sexism.
More...