Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

16 reviews

anarmandameg's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Outing

lindsaybethlyons's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in one day. If I were still teaching high school, I would definitely use this as an ELA/Social Studies unit. Rich with information and a compelling story told beautifully through multiple perspectives. Wow. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Racial slurs and Suicide

mattyvreads's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.75

I don’t think I liked this book… I’m still thinking about it though.

Here are some things that I think that the author does quite well:
> Has a meaningful and nuanced dialogue about parental neglect, emotional abuse, and exploitation, in an otherwise less-than-subtle story. 
> Centers gay people and women. 
> Was genuinely exciting in parts.
> Has moments of emotionality and tenderness.
> Has a beautiful book cover. The best I’ve seen all year.

Okay, that’s about it.

Honestly, once I suspended disbelief, I enjoyed a lot of the story, particularly the middle third which was really successful for me. The characters themselves are very intriguing, and the plot kept me guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of it. Other times, it was a chore to turn the page.

Here are things about the book I don’t care for:
> The dialogue and actions of the characters is ultra-stylized and over-the-top. That style didn’t really click for me.
> I found all the characters vaguely annoying. All of them.
> Some of the talking points in the book felt entirely unfinished, unearned, or even sometimes, disrespectful. (Many made contextual sense! These moments were really successful: a thorough discussion of closeted homosexuality and the pressures of a Catholic upbringing. Emotional abuse and neglect. The problematicism of white social justice warriors. Colorism. A denouncement of “elevating” foreign food. Talking about the lack of mainland aid from America in the wake of Hurricane Irma and Maria. That was all fascinating and so successful.) The talking points which felt unearned or disrespectful: random invocation of unrelated national tragedies and genocide. A quick and unresolved discussion of sexual assault. Seemingly, a few misguided jabs at the leftist youth of America?

The author would sometimes make actual critique, but I often wondered what point the author was trying to make, or if there was a point with those latter topics. Mostly it felt that the author was almost saying something, and then chose not to. Saying a lot, but saying nothing —

In the latter third of the book, Olga is sexually assaulted by an ex. This scene, and its subsequent fallout, was not handled with particular care by the author. First of all, the assault is from the POV of the assailant, which is particularly disturbing. I question why the author decided to frame the scene in that way. The aftermath is also troubling. 

Olga briefly mentions that she refuses to think about the incident as it would “make her a victim.” As if people who are survivors of sexual assault are somehow inferior? Or just the way that they respond to it makes them somehow inferior? Hmm… It’s a deeply troubling sentiment. 

When she reveals this news to her boyfriend, the author had the chance to say something in that moment. Instead he responds with some unimpressive remark, and then proceeds to scold her about other elements of their relationship! And that’s the last we hear of it!! Like….? I just don’t get it. 

And one could make the argument that sometimes people don’t know what to say, and maybe this is the realistic response for that character, but the rest of the book doesn’t have realistic dialogue! Why should we just settle for this right before the “happily ever after”?

Oh also, at one point, the protagonist randomly sh!ts on sex workers, and there’s another part where her niece corrects her brother to say “queer” instead of “gay”. Those moments gave me slight pause. It does center a gay character, but the text oozed heterosexuality in a way that was confusing and disinteresting to me. 

Overall, I liked parts of the book, but would probably not read it again. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Suicide, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Outing, and Colonisation

zombiezami's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.75

My only issue was I didn’t like how anarchism was portrayed. I thought it was fantastic overall, though

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death, Genocide, Homophobia, Infertility, Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Abortion, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

imds's review against another edition

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Abortion

franklola's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

bootsmom3's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Outing, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Homophobia, Abortion, and Deportation

amberlfaris's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Rape

kdailyreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Classism

Minor: Infertility, Racial slurs, Abortion, and Pregnancy

nestofwordsandblankets's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative 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

4.0

I was pleasantly surprised by how this book navigates family dynamics, culture, colonialism, and internal conflict. Set in New York during the early 90s through the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Xochitl Gonzalez did not go for the cheap grabs that many...not just Puerto Ricans...faced during this period. This book dares to look deeper into the relationship with Puerto Rico and its tumultuous history with the USA. 

How do you strive for the "American dream", support change, and continue to support the traditions of the previous generation? 

Olga Dies Dreaming is a medium-paced, character-driven narrative. The plot points in the story were interesting, but there were some questionable gaps that didn't distract me. While the end felt a bit rushed, the characters showed growth throughout the narrative and the conclusion felt satisfying. The colloquialisms throughout the book were not distracting at all and brought a familiar sense of community to the narrative. 

Recommendation to review trigger warnings.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation