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glitterdyke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and Murder
rafaelsampaio's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism
thesawyerbean's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
However, where this book falls short is I’m not sure the vision of the fundamental aspect, the time travel and its mechanics, were as defined and clear as they should have been. I did have to suspend belief and go along with it at certain points because it did seem like they flouted their own predefined rules in order for the plot to continue. By the end, although it was satisfying and a satisfactory end, there were still so many questions left unanswered - the characters and I were both left asking ‘who knows?’. In certain ways it made it more convoluted than it already was trying to justify some of the plot points.
Overall this book was good and definitely worth a read. A powerful feminist sci-fi novel, full of historical context and loveable characters, with an overarching plot-line we can all feel impassioned about.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
my_forest_library's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abortion, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, and Antisemitism
aardwyrm's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
The book does a good job of juggling time travel and changing realities, slipping in needful details and surprises. Plot is really its strongest point. There's some occasional clunky dialogue; character speak out loud the same way they internally monologue, and infodump their emotions once in a while. But the worst this'll do is throw you out of the text a minute. It's an intensely, deliberately political book, which may not be everyone's choice, but it's an effective, well balanced time thriller, too.
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
elishasbookreview's review against another edition
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Abortion
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
maresuju's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, and Abortion
Minor: Racism, Suicide, and Vomit
fraxisle's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Child death, Deadnaming, Genocide, Sexual assault, Vomit, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War
skl_hcn's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Racial slurs, Suicide, and Vomit
afestivalaparade's review against another edition
I especially loved punk rock 1890s Chicago. The Gilded Age is a fascinating transitional time for the US, and one of my favorite eras. It's so thrilling to see Newitz is fascinated by the same themes I am: a country on the cusp of modernism, struggling mightily to define itself in a way that is completely orthogonal to its actual lived reality. Watching a country try to reinvent its past is timely story, one that becomes literal in this story. Comstock is absolutely a villain, and absolutely as over the top as he's portrayed in the book.
The book goes to great lengths to highlight diversity, in the 1890s, 1990s, and 2020s. There are a few places that call out the need for intersectionality... Which makes the ending of the book a bit politically disappointing.
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Abortion
Minor: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Antisemitism