bookslumper's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Body horror, Police brutality, Confinement, Racial slurs, Torture, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, and Genocide
brycestevenwilley's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
I always forget that there's an appendix in the back, would have helped the first 75 pages.
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Child death, Classism, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Genocide
Moderate: Cannibalism, Injury/injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Violence, Racial slurs, and Torture
midnightgremlin's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Child death, Child abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery and Sexual content
Minor: Genocide, Cannibalism, War, and Vomit
mossgoblins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Excrement, Body horror, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Grief, Pregnancy, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Murder, and Forced institutionalization
hattieosha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Sexual content, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Slavery
Moderate: Genocide, Rape, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Confinement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Cannibalism
mrsmowrey's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Blood, Sexual content, and Child death
Moderate: Genocide, Grief, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Racial slurs, and Racism
Definitely one of the best books I have read in years.bwwilhelm's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Murder, Torture, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Child death, Genocide, Hate crime, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Abandonment, Animal death, and Ableism
Minor: Blood
beccaand's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, and Genocide
Minor: Pregnancy and Vomit
zoiejanelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Child death, Death, Animal death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Classism, Genocide, Pregnancy, Slavery, Violence, Colonisation, Gore, Hate crime, Medical content, Racism, and Vomit
Moderate: War, Torture, and Sexual content
maeverose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
First, I think if you’re going to include something as sensitive as sexual assault and rape, especially happening to children, it needs to have an important reason to be there. In this book I felt that those things in particular were there purely for shock value. It really wasn’t necessary and it bothered me.
Second, the way the trans character Tonkee is represented I found to be offensive. Not only is she frequently described as being smelly and unclean when no one else is, but there’s also this line in a scene when she’s taking a bath in front of Essun:
“You’re a little surprised to see a penis somewhere amid this process, but, well, not like any comm’s going to make her a Breeder.”
That’s essentially saying ‘oh she’s trans.. but whatever she’s ugly anyway.’ Like??? That’s what your mind to jumps to after finding out someone is trans? Really? Also just the fact that the two trans characters in the book (one isn’t even named) are introduced as being trans by describing their genitals, which is just invasive and could even be read as fetishy. I really don’t understand the people praising this book for having trans characters… Tonkee isn’t even a main or important character hardly, and Essun seems to see her as an annoyance the entire time.
I don’t know if the offensive way Tonkee was represented was intentional or not, but it really doesn’t sit well with me and kind of ruined my experience of the book, which sucks because it is a really good story besides that.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Racial slurs, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Slavery, and Transphobia
Minor: Pregnancy and Vomit