Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - Exodus 20:3

Reviews tagging 'Transphobia'

Exodus 20:3 by Freydís Moon

13 reviews

anindistinctaccountant's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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vk_fox15's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced

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

3.0

I used to really love this book, that was until I found out who 'Freydis Moon' the author really was. Before I continue this review, I would like to call to mind the phrase "separate the art from the artist." I disagree with this for a variety of reasons, but for the review's sake let me focus on one: by whatever definition you choose to go with, the art is an extension of the artist's character - making it fundamentally inseparable.

Now, back to the review and critique of the author. 'Freydis,' whose real name may be Taylor Brooks, is a white woman who has been posing as a non-binary person of Latine descent for over 5+ years. Within that time frame, she had created numerous identities used to harass genuine authors of color, specifically Black and Latino writers who she built a community with. To expound upon Taylor's fake identities, some other names she was known as are: Taylor Barton, Brooklyn Ray, Jupiter Wyse, Stacey Anthony, Hunter Taylor, and Saint Harlowe. When this news first broke on on internet circles where 'Freydis' used to frequent, not only did she disable her social media accounts, but she was dropped by her publishing agency (Weaver Lit.) also. Many victims of Taylor's years-long harassment campaigns took the time to promote their work which had been overshadowed by hers within the queer PoC fantasy literature genres. Information is taken from accounts directly associated with Taylor. There is a frequently-updated Google document of every instance of Taylor's lies and deceit managed by formerly close sources.

To say I am disgusted is a given. Not only was I, the reader, lied to, so was everyone who either supported or networked with her in the past, and so are the victims of Taylor's abusive behaviors. To ignorantly promote her work and ignore the voices of the people she has hurt would not only be wrongful of me, but go against my ethics and sense of morality as well. I say all of this to then state that I cannot, in good faith, promote any of the work Taylor Barton has published. Before I became aware of her unsavory practices, I was genuinely a fan of this book and would go out of my way to promote it to my peers. I do not share this book anymore, and have refrained from promoting it within my social circles.

Now onto the content of the book itself. Before I became aware of Taylor's behavior, I initially had mixed reactions towards the writing style. I thought the characters were interesting, yet flat. As if they were lacking some central component that would make them feel 'alive' to me. They are interesting characters - don't get me wrong - but I could never insert myself into their world. On the subject of their world, the setting read as aesthetically pleasing yet dry in depth. I understand that "Exodus..." is a novella, or shortened book, however I wish Taylor put more effort into her world building aspects as well. To put it simply: both the characters and the setting were given enough details to make them readable, yet there is much to be left desired from a more detail-oriented perspective.

The intimate scene between the two protagonists felt both rushed and flat. I did appreciate the inclusion of a queer sex scene, however there was seldom warning beforehand and minimal build up to their eventual sexual intimacy. When the scene did come, it felt like a poorer rendition of the one between Nick and the artist from "The Great Gatsby."

Overall, the author is a terrible person in ethics and could stand to take a writing class or two. I thought this book was cute enough when I first read it, however the author's abuse is inexcusable and has completely ruined this reading experience for me. If you are looking to get into adult fantasy with queer characters (who are properly fleshed-out at that), I recommend checking out the work of genuinely Latine authors, and other writers of color, such as: Bethany Baptiste (one of Taylor's victims within the literary scene), Elle Gonzalez Rose, and Jonny Garza Villa,

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graceheartsbooks's review against another edition

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1.0

Edit: As of May 7th, 2024, I have learned things about this author that I don’t feel comfortable supporting so I am removing my review and taking this author off my TBR. I’m very disappointed as I loved their books up until point and I feel gutted knowing that they’ve lied about their identity multiple times. The gist is that they are not a trans latin author and are actually a white woman named Taylor Barton who has made several identities for herself. If you want more info, look at withcindy’s YouTube video posted on April 24th.

[I am only keeping my star ratings on the books so this can hopefully be seen by more people]

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jennireadsmaybe's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

Monster romance steeped in religious imagery? A trans mmc? When I found out about Exodus 20:3 I was foaming at the mouth to read it!! This was bewitching, sensuous, and erotic in the best way. Though it’s short (only 83 pages), Exodus 20:3 packs a punch unlike anything I’ve read.

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