Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Das begabte Kind by Juno Dawson

43 reviews

tiredcreature's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-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

There is a core of a solid criticism of white cishet feminism in there, but ultimately all the intersectional characters act as backdrop and support to a conflict between two white cishet women, and the whole thing falls flat

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Hate crime

Minor: Kidnapping and Car accident

bookishwondergoth's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative 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

4.0

I loved this book. It was well written, modern, fresh and topical and full of twists and turns.

I see from other reviews people have commented that the writing style seems too informal and littered with slang and references that are shoe-horned in. I personally don't agree with this criticism at all. The informality works for its contemporary setting. Also, Niamh and the relationship she has with her friends and their children felt very familiar to me and my own experiences as an adult who lived as a child through the 90s.

I also really enjoyed the examinations of intersectional feminism (or the lack of it in many white women) and its flat-out codemnation of TERFism. This was very clearly written in response to J. K. Rowling's transphobic essay published in 2020. It's not subtle, but then TERFs are not at all subtle with their transphobia in the UK, so did I care? No. Fuck TERFs. Their mindset makes ZERO sense and Juno Dawson does a really good job of showing just how completely nonsensical it is.

I do think there are some segments that could have been better fleshed out/made relevant to the main story (pretty much everything to do with Leonie and her breakaway coven, Diaspora). However, this is the first book in a trilogy, and in the author Q&A with Juno Dawson I attended a couple of weeks ago, she told us that Leonie comes more into play in subsequent books.

I also seriously disagree with those pointing out that for a book about feminism, the women are awfully divided and therefore the book is not feminist. That is the point. Division over these issues is not feminist because the division is caused by bigotry and intolerance. Therefore the people who do not fight for the rights of women—all women, including transwomen and BIPOC women—are not feminist and they absolutely must be challenged in their views. We're all getting fucked over by the patriarchy here, some moreso than others. Acknowledging that divide, difference, and the very real divisions in friendships and families who disagree over fundamental human rights is important.

This book made me really really angry in the best way and I can't wait to read the next one. Might have to borrow it from a friend as the copy I plan to buy isn't due for dispatch until November, gah.

Anyway, loved it. Highly recommended.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Transphobia, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

katndrsn's review against another edition

The way the women’s sexuality with other women/men was just.. weird. The characters weren’t believable and it dragged

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Child abuse and Transphobia

niamhyjay's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

Minor: Infidelity

traa's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny tense 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and War

Moderate: Fatphobia and Outing

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

maregred's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Abortion, and Pregnancy

axel_p's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.5

Slay

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Outing

Minor: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, Pregnancy, and War

adancewithbooks's review against another edition

mysterious reflective 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 got invited to review the second book in this series and for that I had to give the first book ago. I'm glad I did. While it is not a favorite, I will certainly remember it fondly.
 

And what I remember fondly is the way this book deals with gender and has a trans character. It was very in your face when it came to correcting other characters misinformed notions. And quite frankly we need more like that. Books that shout about how wrong trans- and homophobia is. 

I also enjoyed that this book focused on older females. A friend group that has kids of teen age. And a big variety of different kind of levels. I was mostly invested in Niamh and the characters in her story line because that is where the focus lies. And I think that is also my complaint. 

We got all four friends point of views but it mostly layed with Niamh and Helena as secondary. And I think that was a shame. Because I didnt feel like i was getting the time to invest in Leonie and Elle. I think I would especially appreciate Elle more if we had gotten more on her. But as this is a trilogy I hope that we will get more of the other characters. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Moderate: Sexism

Misgendering

shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Abortion, and Outing

kitaface's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity and War