Reviews tagging 'Transphobia'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

72 reviews

sydthereader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Colonisation

nel0nen's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Car accident

Minor: Death and Lesbophobia

pm_me_book_recs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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 listened to this via Libro.fm- it's read by the author and absolutely incredible. Highly highly reccomend. Their tone is meditative, the cadence is hypnotic and dreamy.

An amalgamation of Nigerian folklore and spirituality, psuedo-autobiographical origin story, examination of mental health, sexuality, and gender expression, and deep effects of multiple traumas. Despite coming from a completely different situation and life, I found reflections of my experiences, which helped me feel real and seen. I think many other Queer and/or non-conforming folks could find cathartic comfort here as well. I wouldn't call this a "happy" story, but cathartic (emotionally purging). You're gonna cry, ugly sad mortified cry, but also warm hug after a bad day cry.

I'm so excited to read EVERYTHING else by Akwaeke Emezi, their new novel "Little Rot" comes out this Spring, and they're currently releasing a new album 🔥

CW: rape, disordered eating, suicide, self-harm, addiction, gaslighting, psychosis, dysmorphia, emotional/physical abuse, medical trauma, trans/homophobia, death, miscarriage. Definitely check StoryGraph for more in depth analysis of content warnings if there are specific topics you wish to avoid. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

michaelion's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense 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

Akwaeke Emezi, I will find you one day. One day, I will find you. I will drop to my knees. And I will ask for your hand in marriage.

They peeled my scalp back, cracked my skull open, and wrote exactly what's going on in my brain. What the heck Akwaeke Emezi my future spouse. How dare you. I love you. I guess I'm an ogbanje? Is it appropriative of me to say that even though I know my ancestry comes from Nigeria I'm just not sure which people group? Anyway anyway. I am her and they is me and I am we. Amazing. I'm so glad I chose to pock this up this month. THIS IS Black history NOW !!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Transphobia, and Medical content

snaileton's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, and Alcohol

kodi_rae's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Beautiful, graphic, and unlike anything I’ve read. So interesting and so we’ll done. I loved it. I think Emezi has a knack for writing about the uncomfortable and asking tough questions of their reader. I might like this one slightly more than The Death of Vivek Oji but they are both brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Dysphoria

mcluster1's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This was surreal, sad, and incredibly raw as well. Emezi’s books are quite honestly in a category of their own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Self harm, and Sexual content

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Transphobia

alexdebello's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

I’m at a loss for words after reading this book - trying to pin it down feels like an injustice. 

Emezi is a visionary, and is bringing to life unforeseen possibilities that run wild outside of boxes and pre-established norms for writers of color and writers at large. 

I cannot recommend this book enough, and personally plan on reading more of Emezi’s work as soon as possible. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Outing

Minor: Dysphoria

grandiose_r's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Racism, Transphobia, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Pedophilia, Vomit, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Outing

gabriella_dorianne's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail