Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee

49 reviews

jamielikestoread's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Sexism

quillify_'s review

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

A vision of the shrewd-eyed Reverend Prigg, thundering on about how God saves the righteous, inserts itself into my head. But if that’s truly the case, why are those people—most lowly immigrants just like us—screaming so loud, I swear even the stars pale at the cry?  

 IN TEARS RIGHT NOW OH MY GOD. I’ve always considered Titanic to be one of the biggest, most heartbreaking tragedies of the real world, and the fact that so many people died to favour the rich boils my blood. So to get to know that there were Chinese passengers onboard too, and that their stories were completely erased due to typical white arrogance and racism was another big blow to my heart. I am so glad this book exists as one  answer to that erasure of history.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

emotional informative sad 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Racism, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood

Much of the events of this novel take place aboard the Titanic, and a good chunk of the novel deals with the events of its 1912 sinking, in which over 1500 people died due to drowning and hypothermia. Some anti-Asian (particularly Chinese and Japanese) racial abuse is directed towards the MC and the other Chinese people aboard the ship, and a major plot point deals with the Chinese Exclusion Act, a racist policy banning Chinese people from entering the United States of America.

r1vana's review

emotional sad

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

3.75

“Life is a balancing act. You could be killed walking down the street, but you don't let that fear stop you. You just practice until the fear is no longer part of the equation.”

I knew that it was a Titanic retelling, but it doesn’t stop me to feel this pain. This is a story about an unconditional love between siblings whether they are blood or not.

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The first half of the book pacing was slow. The story picks up around when the Titanic gets hit by the iceberg.
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The ending kills me. Both twins were meant to survive but since the boat only has one seat,  Valora sacrifice herself to save her twin brother Jamie. I genuinely taught that Val was gonna survive.
She could’ve have her dream come true: being part of a circus, in NYC and maybe be with  Bo, her short lived love story or even reunite and live with Jamie.

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TW: xenophobia; racism; racial slurs; death of a parent(s); death; grief; survival  guilt

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

mandkips's review

emotional sad 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

herceia's review

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I love the protagonist and her journey. Stacey Lee's writing is so colorful and precise. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Racism

It's a story about Chinese people aboard the Titanic.

teatimewtrisha's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, and Grief

rhm04's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Racism, Xenophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault

thenovelmaura's review

adventurous emotional 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

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the eARC of this book! I enjoyed this one and I see why Stacey Lee has such an enthusiastic fanbase. It was fascinating to get a glimpse into what could have been the lives of the eight Chinese passengers who were on the Titanic. It was definitely more of a character-driven novel than a plot-heavy one (I understand why people thought the beginning was slow, and I too grew weary of Valora's many costume changes), with most of the tension coming from the inevitable sinking of the ship. The book's setting is a microcosm of society in the 1910's, with racial and class disparities on full display in the different cabins, treatment from the crew, and seating arrangements at mealtimes.

The relationship between Valora and Jamie was complex and is really what drew me into the story. As twins, they had a deep bond that could be both comforting and painful. They each matured a lot as they struggled to reconcile the sibling they had known growing up with the one that boarded the Titanic. I admired the way Lee chose to end the book, as well as her graceful and informative author's note. While I don't read a lot of YA historical fiction, this author is added to my list of ones to watch!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent

Minor: Confinement and Sexual assault

maidmarianlib's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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

Love to see diverse characters represented, strong characterization and the plot flows well even though you know the end. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault