studydniowka'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: Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Hate crime, Racism, Xenophobia, Violence, Physical abuse, Gore, Death, Confinement, Classism, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child death, Torture, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder, Medical trauma, Body horror, and Blood
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
maissi'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
Graphic: Misogyny, Slavery, Torture, Grief, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Xenophobia
danaaliyalevinson'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Violence, and Injury/injury detail
madyou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Child abuse, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy and Cannibalism
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
winterdevil's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Murder, Racism, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Child death, Death, Grief, and Racial slurs
Minor: Alcohol, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy
nalu_oops'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Sexual violence and Grief
maritareads'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Sexual violence
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