Reviews tagging 'Lesbophobia'

Siren Queen, by Nghi Vo

10 reviews

writersrelief's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Early Hollywood was not a great place to be BIPOC or LGBTQ+. In addition to controlling most aspects of one’s personal life, many studio contracts included “moral clauses” to ensure their stars were always on their best behavior, lest they face job termination. Nghi Vo’s fantastical novel SIREN QUEEN reimagines early Hollywood’s glittering yet sinister environment into a magical, mysterious, and dangerous world.

The novel follows an unnamed Chinese woman whose screen name becomes Luli Wei, a name she stole from her sister. Even though she’s hired by a monstrous studio executive, Luli insists on “no maids, no funny talking, no fainting flowers.” While this insistence on substantial roles leads to struggles finding work, Luli eventually makes her mark as a vengeful siren in a series of monster movies. Along the way, she becomes friends and lovers with other actors who are forced to conceal their true selves in order to stay employed.

Nghi Vo is masterful at world building. Her spare yet sparkling prose made it easy to visualize this world, yet she doesn’t overexplain its rules—she allows readers to immerse themselves enough to take this environment on its own terms. This gives her space to explore themes of sacrifice and betrayal, particularly when one is living at the intersections of Asian and lesbian identities. We found the recurring theme of names powerful, particularly how names are given and taken away from the characters throughout the book. Also fascinating is how the protagonist’s siren character, ostensibly sexist and racist, proves a source of empowerment.

A unique and unforgettable reimagining of the much-fabled early Hollywood years, SIREN QUEEN will enthrall and empower.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/injury detail, Violence, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Racism, and Emotional abuse

kathleencoughlin's review

dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.25

Siren Queen, like the Vo's other works, is fantastical, dark, cinematic, and (most importantly) queer. It also brings a nuanced perspective on the intersection of race and gender is a specific historical context. I never felt like I totally understood the magic, but honestly it just adds to the vampy, mysterious  vibe

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Misogyny, Body horror, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Murder, Abortion, Confinement, Violence, and Outing

smalika's review

dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence

Minor: Death and Addiction

lucystolethesky's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Kidnapping, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia

ninjamuse's review

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Racism

Minor: Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment

vigil's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

i absolutely adored this book. it has a loose and unexplained magical realism style that might be a detriment to some people, but for me it served to further immerse me into the world and character. luli was a character i resonated with personally as a fellow lesbian woc who couldn't be sweet or dainty if i tried, and comfortably related to the idea of being a monster, or really just an other.

i think luli is a character that is to flatten and turn into a shallow “girlboss” caricature, which would be doing her a disservice. we get to know luli's insecurities and fears alongside her wants, and accomplishments in a way that despite the mystical atmosphere, keeps the narrative really grounded. it was very striking and relatable to hear about luli’s fears simultaneous to her bold actions and demeanor. i appreciated the variety in her relationships, and that regardless of their outcome, are always treated with respect by the narrative and had a clear impact on luli herself. 

i can't say much about the plot, not due to a lack of one, but because this story is primarily driven by its characters. this was originally three seperate novellas, and i think you can see that somewhat in the division of the story (act one, act two, act three) but it didn't harm the pacing, and kept the thread from the previous portion weaving throughout the next. the prose itself is excellent, managing to be poetic and descriptive without being vague or dragging. 

all in all, i can't recommend this one enough.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Body horror, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

anxiousnachos's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

4.5

4.5 stars. Siren Queen has again proved how much I adore Nghi Vo’s writing. She has such beauty and a delicate hand with her prose, it always feels like stepping out of a dream when I finish reading. I particularly loved the way folklore and mythology was embedded into Siren Queen, woven into the magic of the world and into the dark underbelly of Hollywood. 

Content warnings: racism, slurs, homophobia, sexual harassment, abuse in Hollywood, misogyny, physical child abuse, blood and gore, self-mutilation, fire, sex, pregnancy, discussions of abortion

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Lesbophobia, Blood, Violence, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Abortion, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

perditorian's review

adventurous dark 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Homophobia

aardwyrm's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

Vo does beautiful and terrible like nobody else. Soft touches of magic add up to something deep and horrible in the best way. I'm not an Old Hollywood person at all, and was still transfixed by the deft wielding of the unreal.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Abortion, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Body horror, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Drug use

internationalreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Outing, Body horror, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual content, Abandonment, Body shaming, Classism, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Alcohol, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Fatphobia, Racism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, and Cultural appropriation