Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

8 reviews

novella42's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

This book made a huge impression on me when I read it in college. I didn't have words yet for "omnisexual" or how different kinds of gender expression made me feel SO MANY feelings. The thrill this book gave me was like lighting up a circuit with a bolt of lightning, when it had only received little jolts from a AA battery before. All the wiring was there, had always been there, but I didn't have any way to explore or describe it before reading these scenes with Nancy and having revelation after revelation. 

I picked it up again this year in the delicious audiobook format, savoring it slowly to really appreciate the lyrical writing and elaborate plotline.

I described to my friends what an impact it had made on me and a friend of mine who is trans said he had had his own epiphanies with it, too. We both agreed we were very glad to have stumbled onto it when we did.

The historical aspects of the book are written with such rich attention to detail, especially the nuances of fashion, gender, and sexuality. It's made me want to set my own current WIP at the same time period. I just want to immerse myself in it again and again. 

Also, this might be a strange thing to appreciate, but (mild spoilers about the protagonist's personality)

I am honestly impressed that Waters managed to write a very likeable character even while making her more than a little selfish, impulsive, and not particularly bright. It took a second reading at age 39 to notice, I don't think it registered at all when I was in my 20s just like Nancy. But Nancy herself is compelling even when she does something selfish or impulsive, and has a kind of genderqueer himbo energy that I found almost irresistible. It gives her more depth than the typical clever, altruistic heroines we usually see in books like this.

Well done, Waters!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Classism

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism and Miscarriage

thatchickengirl23's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-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: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Grief, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Alcohol

Minor: Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization

sleepypandaa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Grief, and Sexual harassment

ranbara's review

dark emotional funny sad 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

oh.. this is the book of all time. to be a tom from whitstable in 1888..

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

juliastern__'s review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

marxxx's review

reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

lynxpardinus's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Colonisation

gravys's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful reflective fast-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment