digimoe's review against another edition
This book tried to be a lot of things. A little bit of Sir Terry Pratchett, a little bit of Douglas Adams, but it fell flat in a very icky way. The writing itself is juddery and far from fluid reading; the dialogue is janky, the descriptions are less than ideal, and there are so many grammatical errors that it reads like a fanfic.
But the worst offense this book commits is its awful problematic topics, including blatant anti-semitism. Even if you aren't aware that goblins are directly based on propaganda around Jewish peoples, their treatment in this writing is attrocious.
There is so much gross fantasy racism, stereotypes (all the while the reader is chastised by the narrator for their prejudices), ableism, etc.
I expected a fun quick cosy read and ended up having to put the book down half way through because I just felt gross. I couldn't recommend this book to anyone honestly, and now I have no idea what to do with my physical copy because I can't in good conscience give it away.
But the worst offense this book commits is its awful problematic topics, including blatant anti-semitism. Even if you aren't aware that goblins are directly based on propaganda around Jewish peoples, their treatment in this writing is attrocious.
There is so much gross fantasy racism, stereotypes (all the while the reader is chastised by the narrator for their prejudices), ableism, etc.
I expected a fun quick cosy read and ended up having to put the book down half way through because I just felt gross. I couldn't recommend this book to anyone honestly, and now I have no idea what to do with my physical copy because I can't in good conscience give it away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Antisemitism
Moderate: Violence and War
squinnittowinit's review
Heard a thorough explanation of how problematic this book is, possibly even intentionally anti-semetic. The goblins are treated horribly, they're endangered because people keep killing them, and yet, still the main character thinks of them as squatters on her property (despite the fact that they were living there first), and is determined to kick them out of their home so she can open her bookshop. Also apparently there's a random book-burning that is just thrown in there for no reason, not sure why this would be there if the MC is trying to open a book shop. It's giving bad WWII allegory vibes, where the MC is somehow on the nazi side. Not cozy at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Hate crime, Genocide, and Antisemitism
ruaridhreads's review
1.0
american authors when they need a character to sound uneducated: lemme just *whips out a northern english accent*
fantasy authors when they take the mask off: every hates the goblins oh also
fantasy authors when they take the mask off: every hates the goblins oh also
Spoiler
book burning
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Antisemitism
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