Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Trust Exercise: A Novel by Susan Choi

6 reviews

bookishlittleme's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I hated this. 

That’s not true. But I didn’t like this book just because of personal preference but I will defend almost every choice in it. It’s truly one thousand books in one because of the multiple perspectives and contradictions throughout the story offered by multiple characters. It asks the question of what truth really is and who are we to decide what truth is? Can anyone objectively decipher truth?
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omnipresent_photon's review against another edition

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

2.0

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levc's review against another edition

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

4.25

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sittingwishingreading's review against another edition

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emotional funny relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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lenin_lover_69's review against another edition

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

4.0

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deusbexmachina's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow wow wow wow. I devoured this book and can't stop thinking about it. I won't spoil it (especially because doing so would require so much explanation and summary). But I do think the book is brilliantly constructed. The core themes are trust, believability, and accountability, particularly in regards to sexual assault. As a reader, you know that horrific things have happened to the main characters; they have been mistreated and taken advantage of. But the exact nature of what happened to them is up for debate, called into question again and again throughout the book, so you're forced to interrogate the survivors' accounts, rather than their abusers. It feels ugly, and I think that's Susan Choi's point. Okay, one spoiler:
I would say that Martin most definitely does not get off the hook for his actions, even though retribution comes late. But Mr. Kingsley/Mr. Lord? He dies without repercussion. However, their actions deeply impact Karen (who carries so much anger), Claire (who will never know her parents), and Sarah (who needs to distance herself through fiction), and their suffering is largely invisible.
I know why this book is polarizing, but I can't wait to talk about it with everyone.
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