umbellule's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Torture, Suicide, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Animal death and Transphobia
there are mentions of sea lions being hunted and killed, but this happens 'offscreen' and is not graphically described. one of the main characters is a butcher, and their work is described, but no animals are killed on the page. there are a couple of brief mentions of 'crossdressers', who are described as men who like to dress as women; they are described without any malice, but are gendered only with he/him, which may sound transphobic depending on one's own cultural context. there are two mentions of sexual encounters involving underage people, which the now-grown people still describe as consensual. this is, however, not glamorised or fetishised. there is a flashback scene involving forced institutionalisation and torture. there are multiple flashbacks involving rape, including underaged rape and marital rape, though these are not graphic.Spoiler
there is a graphic suicide scene, by falling, from the point of view of the one dying.kclark's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
The language in the book is SO flowery that it is just exhausting, and I love flowery, poetic prose, but this was too much. It was as if the book was struggling to make itself more impressive but came off like a college student trying to say something profound on every page of the book. An example: "The water surrounded them, each wave sloshing forward with it's own wet, singular song, offering the pull of undertow and a brief respite from gravity." It would be fine, and perhaps effective, if this language was used sparingly, but it was constant. This propensity for the over embellished also has the effect of making the sex scenes seem like they were supposed to be sordid and poetic which made it feel like a cheesy romance.
The characters sometimes felt really well developed and crafted, but then immediately lose track of that character development and slip back into seemingly formulaic character archetypes.
Were I not reading this for a summer book bingo, I might have moved on.
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Death, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicide
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, and Infidelity
dreareads_'s review
5.0
"Its [cantora] connotations were beautiful, but also obscene, depending on how you approached it"
This, this is one of the most beautiful sapphic stories I have read. It is the story of 5 queer women finding each other and learning to survive under the Uruguayan dictatorship of the 1970's.
It is a story of survival, friendship, love, betrayal, and political action. It is a beautiful story that takes you through the history of Uruguays & Latin Americas slow movement towards democracy and queer rights.
The relationships between the five women were heart warming. They were each strong women, who found a space where they could be happy, vulnerable, and themselves. Through the story we see these women break the barriers that have been imposed on them by society, fighting to be their true selves and for their own country.
This story made me realize how little I know about lgbt movement in LatAm. How so many fought for democracy, equality, and love. In This book I found my love for my mother tongue, Spanish, again. A language that throughout the book is often used to emphasize the beauty that exists around the world.
During this book I laughed, I cried, and celebrated the wonderment that is being a sapphic woman. A must read for everyone.
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Biphobia, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, and Suicide
danny_thereader's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
beleng's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Pedophilia, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma