Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka

7 reviews

robinks's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-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? No

4.25

The tone of the first two chapters was so different from the remainder of the book that it was a little jarring. I was not expecting where the story went, but I appreciated the depth. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, and Dementia

Moderate: Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Confinement and War

sadhbhprice's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Dementia, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Fatphobia, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

avisreadsandreads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide, Car accident, and War

cnux221's review against another edition

So much fat phobia 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Fatphobia and Sexual harassment

cassimiranda's review against another edition

reflective sad

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Death of parent

Moderate: Fatphobia and Transphobia

krys_kilz's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

I had a hard time getting into this book - there were just a lot of fatphobic remarks and other comments that didn't sit quite right with me in the beginning. But once I got beyond the first two chapters, I really enjoyed the final three.

I liked the voice Otsuka wrote from - the first-person plural we and the second-person singular you. It blurs the distinction between the collective and the individual and complicates conceptions of the "self." Even with the sort of disembodied narration style, the story is still incredibly emotional and heartbreaking. 

I loved the mirroring between the cracks forming in the pool and the fog descending on Alice's mind. It was a very clever parallel about being with the unknown, losing pieces of yourself, and the painfulness of a community coming to an end. It also really makes you reflect on how we treat elders in the so called united states - the isolation, abuse, and exile from community we put them and their families through.

tw: dementia, forced institutionalization, death of a parent, Japanese internment camps

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, and Dementia

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Child death and Fatphobia