Reviews tagging 'Lesbophobia'

The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton

9 reviews

fionamclary's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

3.5

This book is not outstanding and it does kind of explain the Message to you at the end, but it will scratch the itch for a classic, aesthetic tragedy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Child death, Classism, Murder, Alcohol, Bullying, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Death, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Vomit

emreads0's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I struggled with a rating for this book but I was surprised to love it. The World Cannot Give is a very dark academia story of struggling to fit in both in school and in the world. Think Bunny by Mona Awad but focused on a religious prep school.

My personal struggle with this book was that it has some awkward writing choices and I am not very religious. However, the plot twist and character growth was great! If you love DA, this book is a wonderful and sinister option. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Eating disorder, and Bullying

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Suicide, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Adult/minor relationship

beastlybrooke's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Sexual harassment

Minor: Lesbophobia, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, and Homophobia

owlribbon's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death, Murder, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Outing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Lesbophobia and Homophobia

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.75

This dark and lyrical novel by theologian Tara Isabella Burton is told from the perspective of a naive, impressionable girl who, at the start of her junior year, transfers to the coastal boarding school featured in her favorite novel, which is reminiscent of A Separate Peace.  She is captivated by the chapel choir—especially by its hypnotizing leader and soprano, Virginia—and she is overjoyed to fall into favor with the exclusive group.  The singers, who also deify the novel and its alumnus author, are puppeteered by Virginia, whose obsession with gravity and piety leads her down a dangerous and surprising path.  Exploring sexuality, integrity, and idolization, this is a novel about wanting to become something one has read about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Bullying, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Eating disorder, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Sexual content, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Sexual violence, Death, Child death, Infidelity, and Grief

The content warning for sexual violence is referring to sharing intimate videos without consent.

bookishsapphicshay's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Eating disorder, Bullying, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Fire/Fire injury

hbrown00's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Suicide

Moderate: Eating disorder, Abandonment, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Lesbophobia and Alcohol

thewoodlandbookshelf's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Homophobia

illegiblescribble's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

a haunting tale of religion, power, desire, and longing to be someone worth remembering.

i went into this book not knowing what to expect; i was pleasantly surprised. for a book leaning heavily on christian imagery and ritual, it has a wonderfully diverse cast of characters including a lesbian anarchist punk, a jewish girl who wants to be baptized, a scorned influencer, and a girl who’s just along for the ride. where “the secret history” lost me, this book completely ensnared my attention; perhaps this is the queer “the secret history” that i’ve been looking for. i look forward to revisiting this book in audio format.

thank you to netgalley and simon & schuster for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Lesbophobia