Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Red X by David Demchuk

5 reviews

takecoverbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-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? No

5.0

Daring, tragic, horrifying, and inventive in equal measure, Red X is one of the most powerful books I’ve read this year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Just, all the trigger warnings. It’s a lot.

maggiegould's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

4.5

so i just. don't read horror all that often. not usually my cup of tea. i love horror elements within texts and media, but horror itself i have never really been overly drawn to. red x, though, i had to read for a class (queer literature in Canada), and boy, am i glad i did. scary, insightful, heartbreaking, moving, anger-inducing, and funny, i don't think i have ever enjoyed reading a book for a class as much as i did this one. it is not an easy read: it is graphic, unsettling, and weird. you certainly could not read it if you were homophobic. but the payoff, especially when you consider the real-life events that inspired this book, is more than worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Sexual harassment

spuriouseden's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Really liked this overall, though I’d encourage readers to check content/trigger warnings. I gained perspective on a period of history during which I was young and sheltered, and felt like I could better appreciate the lived experience of people who were in the thick of it. 

I listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed the performance, but I also feel like I might have followed better in print, where it’s easier to flip back and forth and refer to earlier scenes. I’m not saying it’s necessary to do so, but I feel like print would have improved my comprehension. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Torture, Transphobia, Police brutality, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

danidamico's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense

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

4.5

En el año 2018, la policía canadiense detuvo a un sujeto sospechado de haber asesinado a ocho personas, en su mayoría hombres gay, en Toronto entre 2010 y 2017. Uno de esos hombres, Andrew Kinsman, era un activista importante en la comunidad LGBTQ+ de la zona y amigo del escritor David Demchuk. Eventualmente, se comprobó que el detenido era culpable de los crímenes y fue condenado a veinticinco años de prisión. A partir de este suceso, Demchuk empezó a construir lo que más tarde sería Red X, un mosaico basado en datos históricos, experiencias propias, folklore escocés y ficción.

A lo largo de cinco capítulos, vamos siguiendo las desapariciones de un grupo de hombres y el sufrimiento de sus amigos y seres queridos, sumidos en la incertidumbre. Es muy difícil sintetizar todo lo que sucede en esta novela y mis sentimientos al respecto. Me gustó muchísimo, es un libro que parece estar en un estado constante de desborde: voces desesperadas que buscan sobrevivir, que buscan compañía, amor, no quedarse solos ni ser olvidados. Esa urgencia atraviesa todo el texto.

Si bien es un libro en el que predomina el miedo, entre todo ese sufrimiento aparecen destellos de comunidad, de amor, de aquellos que no olvidan a los que ya no están en este mundo. Red X es terrorífico, pero en su centro hay un corazón humano que late y persiste. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

pphector's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, and Violence