Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Du bout des doigts by Sarah Waters

12 reviews

heckin_hello's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

2.25

I understand why this book is considered a romance, but in my opinion the main story is a story about thieves and morally grey individuals with a subplot of romance.

I found this book hard to work through, if I'm honest. You could probably cut out 100 pages in the middle of the story and not significantly affect it overall. I was shocked by how unlikable literally every single person was as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder

bites_of_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

If you know me, you'll know that I love dark and complex storytelling and Fingersmith fits both to a T!

We follow Sue and Maud, one grew up with a group of thieves in the heart of London and the other was raised by a book obsessed man. There is plotting and scheming, there's questionable morals, a lot of tension, and slow burning passion. 

If you like complex stories where there isn't clear good and bad characters, full of original ideas and an impecable storytelling style, this is for you! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

maddramaqueen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Alcohol

angelacoz's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual content, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Classism

nicnymh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

It’s a good book in that it was well written, but as a book that is constantly touted as strong queer representation I was disappointed and a little horrified. Readers looking for healthy functional sapphic relationships or storylines should run in the opposite direction. Reads like it was written by a violent man who hates women, especially lesbians. Intense and pervasive sexual harassment of a teen by a family member, grooming and predator behavior. It’s intense, be warned.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Eating disorder, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Alcohol

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The setting and the characters shine in this. It feels very Sweeney Todd, dark and dirty London. The characters are well-rounded, surprising, likeable, and compelling.
I wasn't on board with the perspective change mid-book during reading it but now recognize the complexity it allowed the book to portray.
It really kept me guessing and kept me invested in Sue's and Maud's life. The twists and turns and the character development had me picturing this as a movie in my mind.
It's really giving on so many fronts: there's a queer love story, a betrayal plot, a mystery, mistaken identities, an asylum, a murder.
This is definitely for fans of Frannie Langton and Sally Lockhart.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Transphobia, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

summermorning's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Classism

zoiejanelle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

(another library audiobook rental) 

i definitely would have enjoyed this more if i read a physical copy, but the audiobook was also very good! 

this is a fantastic lesbian classic that really appealed to my historical fiction fan brain. the details of the culture/customs era and setting were really fun and added some levity to the darker plots. 

Sue’s perspective in parts one and the end of part three were hilarious, but the scenes at the asylum were honestly nauseating at times. Maud’s point of view was less funny, more thoughtful and romantic. I loved that she had feelings for Sue before Sue realized her own feelings. 

several of the plot twists were brutal, though i admit i spoiled many of them through impatient googling. the pacing was about right, and the romantic element kept me on my toes the entire time. although i really liked living in each character’s head, some parts did drag on and on, which is why this only gets a 4/5 from me. 

overall, i enjoyed the complexity of how each woman felt about themselves and each other, their clear motivations, their unique histories, and their satisfying, poetic ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

naiu_cs's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.5

It was quite exciting, even though it sometimes seemed to be dragged on for longer than was really necessary for the plot or the characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism