Reviews tagging 'Cultural appropriation'

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

4 reviews

sourpatchsims's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

Fun mystery with a female protagonist bucking convention to travel and get herself into trouble. I would rate it higher but it's marred by hallmarks of an earlier era, namely problematic attitudes and practices of wealthy British people traveling to "exotic locales". While the characters aren't malicious, the casual othering is uncomfortable to read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Toxic relationship and Abandonment

borkyreadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.5

The story itself was fun and enjoyable. I really appreciated the archaeological accuracy as a fellow archaeologist however it’s quite hard to get past the racism that oozes out of every page, especially towards Egyptians. I get the sense that Michaels was trying to satirize the views of Victorian Egyptologists but from a 2024 perspective it just read as prejudism. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Violence, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

sparksofkell's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Injury/Injury detail

erebus53's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

A simple story in 1800s style with an Anglophile bent, having been with in the 1970s it allows a story told from the point of view of the women, despite the antics being primarily of Egyptology.

You're not going to like this story if you are disinterested in stories of rich Brits flitting about the countryside buying the time and energies of the locals, while pillaging the countryside of its relics and treasures. It's all quite ridiculous but at least, if you can hold your nose, it's not as rife with racism and misogyny as Wilbur Smith.

The sarcastic humour and dry turn of phrase is amusing. I did laugh out loud at some of the quips, and the casual banter between main characters is stuffy and kind of toxic, but is a foil for solid relationship building and mutual respect.

Not my usual flavour, but a fun little mystery, that's a bit ScoobyDoo in the execution.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Slavery, Stalking, and War