Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

11 reviews

eve81's review against another edition

dark 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Sexism, Racism, Gaslighting, Torture, Bullying, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Blood, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Classism

artis_meretrix's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense 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

3.0

Beautiful imagery of nature. Horrifying exploration of pressured consent. Reminded me of the quote “when you are not fed love on a silver spoon, you learn to lick it off knives.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Child death, Body horror, Physical abuse, Sexism, Animal death, Torture, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Cultural appropriation, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Racism, Classism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Vomit

vanillanightmare's review

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

oh my god??? 5 stars✨

this is a harrowing novella. it follows Silvie, a teen girl who’s taking part in an Iron Age reenactment experience on the Northumberland moors with her mum and dad, an archeology professor, and his students. 

this story is an absolute masterclass in building tension, as ancient history settles over the camp like a fog and the fate of Silvie and the ancient bog people her father is obsessed with draw closer together. 

the lines between reality and reenactment begin to blur, as well as the lines between the past and the present.

there are so many themes covered in such a short space, from nationalism to class to gendered violence. this is a really thoughtful book, not a single word out of place - i already know i’m going to be thinking about it for days!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Animal death, Misogyny, and Classism

esme_may's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Misogyny

Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Death, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia

Minor: Alcohol, Murder, Pedophilia, and Religious bigotry

breauseph's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Classism, Xenophobia, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Animal death

kiddocut'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? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Fantastic quick read about a boiling family drama, framed in a setting that calls back to class, gender and academic background-and how that affects our ability to interpret  the world both in a literal and emotional sense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Sexism, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Bullying, Body shaming, Racism, Blood, Torture, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Sexual content, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Cultural appropriation

There is a use of a slide one time-to describe a character’s inability or stubbornness to adapt his language to modern terminology in a historical context. I didn’t anticipate it and I wish there was someone who mentioned it. It’s a story heavily about a fractured and demanding father whose daughter is just discovering herself. It is well written and I think all TW that I applied are accurate.

allisonmeyette's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

I think this is a book I will have to read again and again. Stunning writing, and over too quickly. The pace of the book is very slow up until the last 15-20 pages. It's one of those books where if you read it too quickly and don't digest it as you go, you don't get everything out of it (which is what I'm afraid I did). It's also quite creepy while really immersing you in the world that the Professor is trying to create. Please see content warnings too, as there are a LOT of possibly triggering themes in the book and may not be for everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal cruelty, Violence, Bullying, Animal death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Misogyny, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Cancer, War, Classism, and Vomit

greenwillow77's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Sarah Moss is particularly concerned with how the echoes of the past are heard in the now, & this book is an excellent illustration of how she goes about making that into a compelling story. Creating a creeping sense of unease & ratcheting tension that wouldn’t be out of place in an Ari Aster film, the story of Sil & the experimental archeology project rattles along at a brisk lick, simmering in the summer heat & Sil’s father’s temper. 

There is plenty to unpack in this book- class, education, gender roles, family, teenage anxiety, the power structures of abuse- & it crams in to a story told in under 150 pages. I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed this book, but it did compel me to finish & it will stay with me for a while yet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Classism

clemrain's review against another edition

challenging dark informative slow-paced

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

3.0

Most of the story I was waiting for some sort of plot to kick in. It didn’t, but not every story needs a plot. If the characters were more complex and had shifting ideas, they could’ve done enough for the story. But the characters weren’t interesting to me either. 

The writing was beautiful and Moss has a unique way to her prose. The detailed scenery and thoughts come simultaneously. It was fun to read. I’m looking forward to reading more from Moss.

I think it could’ve been a better story if condensed. A lot of the plot was the same day repeated. It’s definitely a read for theories, and I was looking for a simple read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Animal death

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Classism, Gaslighting, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Misogyny

allief7497's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Bullying

Minor: Classism