Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Just City by Jo Walton

6 reviews

pferdina's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Really enjoyed this and looking forward to reading the next volume in the series.
Athena and Apollo set up an isolated city on an island with a volcano that will destroy it in the future as an experiment to test Plato’s Republic. Apollo takes mortal form to be part of the experiment and learn about volition and equal significance. I thoroughly loved the idea of the city as a way for people to become their best selves, but of course Plato did not consider human nature and the complexity of what he was asking these people to do. The sentient workers were an additional wonderful bit, as Sokrates shows they have souls.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, and Pregnancy

recorderkfk's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

Fascinating concept, mixed execution. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Slavery, Stalking, and Pregnancy

Minor: Grief

liorallen's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

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

3.0

More than anything, this feels like Plato fan fiction. I got there overwhelming feeling that I was reading a lot of world building, which was interesting, but because the characters are poorly developed and the plot is thin it fell flat for me. Several significant incidents (see content warnings) happened with no character being held accountable, which was disappointing. Also, because of the concept (a group of time traveling philosophers trying to create Plato’s Republic), the text is cisheteronormative to the extreme. 
Disappointed is the best word to describe my feelings during and after reading this book. Which is sad, because I’ve met and had lovely conversations with Jo in the past. She’s a delight, and I had hoped for better. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Slavery

Contains multiple incidents of rape and/or sexual coercion, with the offenders facing zero consequences.

ellanarose's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Ableism

rini's review against another edition

hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, and Alcohol

Eugenics

joyfuljazzy1's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense 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

4.25

The book was something I have to read for college and I did thoroughly enjoy it. The characters took me on a rollercoaster of likable, to not, to despising them. The ending was quite abrupt and quite unsatisfactory even though it was trying to set up for the next book in the trilogy. I do wish there were trigger warnings in this book. As someone that didn't know this book was about or existed and is not heavily into Greek mythology, it would've definitely helped.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery

Moderate: Ableism, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child death, Death, and Death of parent