Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

4 reviews

idkimoutofideas's review against another edition

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fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25


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nokvi's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny 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? It's complicated

4.0

I contemplated a lot about how to effectively rate this book. Beautiful magic system and lovable characters, Foundryside was one of my more enjoyable reads. Bennett does his best to ease you into the world of Foundryside and the fact that our MC Sancia is just as confused about the magic system as we are is the cherry on top. We navigate the world with Sancia as Bennett, explains the magic system to us over...
and over
and over
okay Robert I understand the basics now I promise

The man can write an action scene because trust there are some gory points in this book. Other than Robert's tendency to tell instead of show sometimes and his over explaining (which I can understand why people DNF this book)

Foundryside is wonderful critique of human greed, capitalism and hard limits. It begs us to ask just how much are we willing to do in the name of advancement? At what point does righteous anger become needless slaughter? We meet men and women willing to bend the very fabric of our world to ensure that they get what they want. Tevanne is a city filled with so much woes and those with the ability to assist can't be bothered thus leaving thousands without. Foundryside examines how history is twisted and lost thus influencing the world to repeat or get trapped in a similar cycle. It ask us to look within as we try to understand world as our characters do

We follow three characters as they interact with the environment and circumstances around them and in a limited third person POV, Bennett produces exceptional world building (other than when he info dumps), which is an experience when 1 member of your cast is as lost as the reader, the other is been blindsided and is naive to just how corrupt the system he is trying to fix is (Gregor my baby) and the last one is so deep within the magical system and power structure that his morals tend to be more self serving before reaching for the better.

Foundryside definitely made it's impact and I do so look forward to what is done in book 2

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gladiolus17's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.75

I read Robert Jackson Bennett’s City of Stairs series and LOVED it, but going through college and grad school, I don’t have the time to read anything more. Now I’m so glad to get back to his work. I feel like I’m coming back to an old friend.

Foundryside’s characters are SO lovable and distinct. I thought this before for the City of Stairs, but Bennett really has a gift for dialogue and worldbuilding. Everything is so carefully crafted and well-thought over. The magic system—so unique and interesting. 

75% in Sancia’s thoughts about herself hit me like a gut punch. And when she overcomes herself—!!!!!!

My only complaint is a minor one, but I still wish it wasn’t there. Foundryside is diverse and progressive in many ways, such as having LGBTQ characters and POC characters, but the casual fatphobia is still in it. The fat characters and fatness in general were depicted as greedy and evil, a common trope. There is one instance of gaining weight as a positive, where Gregor’s body size is commented on and he thinks (paraphrasing)
I gained weight because I was starving before in the war,
but that’s the only instance.

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milkelves's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.0


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