Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Καντόρας: Οι γυναίκες που τραγουδούσαν by Caro De Robertis

11 reviews

kshertz's review against another edition

hopeful sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What a fantastic story of women loving women in Uruguay. I learned a lot of history. I felt seen. I really love that this story exists in the world. I had a hard time following so many characters but I still definitely loved it. I think anyone who’s ever loved a woman needs to read this book!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Misogyny, Outing, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Bullying, Homophobia, and Abandonment

sophiafarias's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

Beautiful, intriguing, breathtaking! I loved every moment I got to spend with these women. I loved getting absorbed in their lives and experiences with one another, through love unto freedom! 

This book gave me a sense of hope and relief that something so beautiful has been written and made available by my local librarv. I have always been an activist at heart and in reading this book, I felt like a lifetime could come with greater reward than I had imagined. 

This is a tale of triumph over tribulations and bravery. This is a book that needs to be on my bookshelf!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Rape

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

mmccombs's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Phenomenal writing complimenting a compelling story, an unexpected gem of a novel! The characters were wonderful and I really enjoyed the strong sense of place throughout the novel. I think my only complaint was how Malena’s character/story was handled, I understand why we didn’t get her POV until the end of the book, but I just don’t think that did her character or the larger story justice. Beyond that, this was probably one of the best works of historical fiction I’ve read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Suicide, Rape, Sexual harassment, Lesbophobia, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual violence

horizonous's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• 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

I would love to write an eloquent review for this book but I can't even find a beginning.

It's heartbreaking, hopeful and beautiful with characters and found family dynamics that will stay with me for a while. The writing, especially the descriptions of the ocean, are also very impactful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Suicide, and Homophobia

Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Confinement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death of parent, Miscarriage, Racism, Torture, Antisemitism, and Alcoholism

◦ Forced institutionalization = Conversion therapy
◦ Mental illness = Depression, PTSD

patroclusbro's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

"They were happy. There were not used to being happy. The strange feeling kept them up too late together, giddy with victory and amazement. They had done it. They were out. They had shed the city like a hazardous garment and come to the edge of the world."

I have always been wanting to learn more about queer elders, but in recent years I think there has been a tendency to write those stories for teen audiences rather than adults. Not really my tea any more!

If you feel similar, you have to check out this book: De Robertis writes about the struggles and dreams of a group of Cantoras - women loving women - in 1970s and 1980s Uruguay. Craving for some breath outside of Montevideo, where the dictatorship closes in around them bit by bit, the five of them take a short trip to the coast. Away from curious eyes, new hope and lust - and companionship! - sparks. Over the years, they come back time and time again, growing older, growing closer, growing apart, making up, resisting, dreaming, loving.

There is a richness to the characters and landscape that I loved! It was so easy to stumble into this world and open my heart for these women. The contrasts between the city and Cabo Polonio flow freely, there is a gentle but irresistible pull to the story. I also learned a lot about Uruguay, its people and political dynamics.

My main point of criticism: I wished that this book could have been longer! I wanted to spend more time with the characters. Rather than being told what happened to them during the time jumps, I wanted to see it first-hand. I would have read 500 pages of this, at least.

I also want to set a BIG trigger warning for suicide, told from the close, stay safe!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Sexual harassment

istmiajuppe's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Rape, Police brutality, Torture, War, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Miscarriage and Alcoholism

linguaphile412's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Suicide

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Torture, Miscarriage, and Antisemitism

dreareads_'s review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

"A Cantora is a woman who sings"

"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.

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Content Warnings

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

lynneliu's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Lesbophobia, and Infidelity

Moderate: Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Torture

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, Medical trauma, and Racism

jessicaelisa's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Homophobia, Abandonment, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Police brutality, Alcohol, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Lesbophobia, and Medical trauma

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Miscarriage, and Alcoholism