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Reviews tagging 'Rape'
The Diamond Age: or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson
12 reviews
kittenpuke's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
But once I was past that I found this book very engaging. While it certainly has some issues in it's esoteric descriptions at some points and some very unneeded mentionings of rape in the second half (after the first half had at least a decent mention of the PTSD effects of it even if minimal), the characters and journey they part take in are quite engaging and the themes of the story go through a lot of different paces over its page count. We go from a Cyberpunk parody, to proto-Steampunk, to nanopunk, to a police procedure crime story, to a political thriller, to a fairy tale, to a coming of age story, a surrealist story, and ending in an action sequence. It sounds like a mess but it oddly all comes together for a really strong narrative world and adventure for all the character to go on as you get to read through this playful mixture of so many disparate elements developing into this inventive story overall.
Nell as a central character is a fun subversion from the usual "cool guy" Cyberpunk heros as is parodied at the start with Bud, and even subverts the tropes of the Cyberpunk "cool girl" by starting not only so young in the narrative but also being still a thoughtful and fault-filled character even once she develops into a badass in the last third of the book. I think there is something to be said about her filing a possible "white savior" role nearing the end but I think this can be dismissed as the ending narrative makes her less a leader than an icon other rally around for the ideals that she ends up representing. Those being tied to the central themes of the story in the faults of beliefs in social / cultural superiority and similarly the significance that human connections have in teaching individuals and developing us as humans into adulthood. Especially when in comparison to simply using technology or informal teaching methods to educate young people, or even simple social codes that restrict and stunt populations in their totality from improvement.
I will admit when reading the story it's a bit hard at first to not think that the story is largely being pro-western with how often you have Victorian characters speak on the positives of their phyle's ways of life in comparison to the more "Eastern ideology" minded ones. Constantly invoking how their plans (even some of the more central characters we follow initially) are doing so to show a superiority of the Vicorians to others like the Han and the Nipponese. (though early in the book there are more POV's coming from a Han perspective that allows some disparaging of the Western ideals of the Victorians) However, reading more closely, and especially with the ending details delivered through Hackworth and Nell's efforts and the social results that come from their actions it's clear that this is just from the bias and ingrained perspective that refuses to see alternatives that dissuades from the belief that central cultural superiority is a necessity in turn with community building. When in reality by the end of the narrative, the characters have developed a glimmer of hope for the world in pushing for the positives of crossing cultures and encouraging social exchange with an inclusion of decentralized production as well. Essentially combining the Western and Eastern ideals of the world instead of positioning for one over the other as the other sides attempt to do in the wake of the nano-technological developments of humanity.
I think readers coming into this should definitely think on these themes for the story, because frankly reading a lot of people discussing this book online and in reviews take a bigger focus on the predictions of nanotechnology that was so new at the time for a Cyberpunk setting, as well as Neal Stephenson practically predicting the Steampunk subgenre (as well the early parody of prior Cyberpunk themes with Bud that barely even cracks a 1/8th of this books length). I see a lot of people be dissuaded by the Drummers, their
There's no doubt that "The Diamond Age" is quite a dense book even at 400+ pages, but if you can get through the first 50 pages of set up I think it gets a lot easier and starts to play in the more lofty ideals and social themes and relationships that would develop from such a society that is post-scarcity, but still shows how such a state can be exploited by corporate, political, and tyrannical means and still leave such a world beholden to homelessness, classism, racism, and even disease.
Minor: Rape and Violence
osteele98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Torture
Moderate: Rape and Violence
machen27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
The language about the different cultures is fairly dated, an obvious mid 90s take, especially on Chinese culture. The separation of the cultures is also a bit jarring, and it's pretty disappointing that Stephenson's vision of "top cultures" are Victorians and Japan.sidneyua's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.25
Moderate: Rape
soulofaqua's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Gun violence, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Minor: Excrement
zone_a3'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
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse and Abandonment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, and Kidnapping
kelseak96's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence
crufts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Under the Primer's tuition, Nell grows up, becomes a badass, and founds her own cultural tribe - a simultaneous coming-of-age and rags-to-riches story.
Unfortunately, this fascinating worldbuilding and premise is dragged down by a slow start and a dubiously-justified ending. It takes ~100 pages of poverty and suffering for Nell to even receive the Primer, and she only starts to learn from it around p138. 130+ pages of hopeless misery with no end in sight is an awfully long time, and I think the book would have hooked me more effectively if the Primer's spark of hope had been introduced earlier.
After that, The Diamond Age chugs along effectively and maintains interest through Nell's days at a high-class elocution school. However, the events of the last hundred pages seem contrived and poorly justified, as though the author wanted to hit specific beats and plot points regardless of what made sense for the characters to do. Details in the spoiler tag below.
For example, while Nell is travelling through Pudong, she decides to loiter inside a brothel so as to lose the trail of some bad guys who are following her. However, she then applies for a (writing) job?!?! at the brothel and then comes back the next day to actually do the job?!?!?! Why????
She was just hiding in the lobby to get out of sight for a few hours! Why would she actually apply for a job there??? Why tie herself down to a location like that? Why provide identifying information that might be used to track her in the future????
Now, the narrative reason for this is that it sets Nell up to meet the scriptwriter Carl Hollywood, one of the good guys who helps her find the surrogate mother who effectively "raised" her via the Primer's tuition. But there is no in-universe reason for this happen, and so it feels very arbitrary.
Other events at the end of the book also seem unjustified and unbelievable, such as the fact that the Mouse Army girls antagonize Nell by tying her up and torturing her (p468), only to universally pledge allegiance to her shortly afterwards (p478). It's very serious that this event has no justification, because Nell's state of incapacitation leads to an invading group of thugs raping her (Y I K E S). Even that event seemed to be brushed over quickly in order to get to the following events the author had planned, like the mass walk of the Mouse Army into the sea and the visit to the Drummers' caves. Like, dude, you can't just drop sexual assault in like it's no big deal.
Again, narratively you might say that this was to set up for Nell having the sexually-transmitted Drummer nanosites in her bloodstream, which is relevant to the last few pages. But then she immediately engineers counter-nanosites to remove them from her body, so what was the point of all this? It just seems contrived, unnecessary and gross.
I felt that this letdown in the ending was a real shame, because the middle section of the story (about Nell's use of the Primer's fairytale education) was charming and interesting.
In the end, I don't recommend The Diamond Age. There are other sci-fi books out there that have equally interesting worldbuilding without the unnecessary attempts at shock value.
Graphic: Sexism and Violence
Moderate: Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Drug use and Trafficking
As you can guess by the number of tags above, there's a lot of violence and nasty staff in this book.A little like Cryptonomicon (although not as bad), The Diamond Age also had some unnecessary sexual references, maybe intended for the shock value.
carolined314's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
hteph's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
Graphic: Rape