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book_gremlin42's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Racism
kjboldon's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
4.0
A devourable romp of a story, with a young male protagonist, a carpet seller who falls in love with a princess, who is kidnapped. Adventure ensues, with a djinn in a bottle, a dishonest soldier, a cat, and her kitten.
The line that made me pause and laugh was when the djinn says how he tried to leave someone who cared behind when he kidnapped princesses so they'd follow him, yet most showed "remarkable lack of spirit, like the king of High Norland, who is merely attempting to catalog his books on his own, without his daughter's help."
The line that made me pause and laugh was when the djinn says how he tried to leave someone who cared behind when he kidnapped princesses so they'd follow him, yet most showed "remarkable lack of spirit, like the king of High Norland, who is merely attempting to catalog his books on his own, without his daughter's help."
Graphic: Fatphobia, Slavery, and Kidnapping
keeganrb's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Fatphobia
vi_frt's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Strong points: humorous and whimsical, engaging enough
Weaknesses: some parts of it are problematic, specifically the descriptions of the initial arabic-like setting and some recurrent fatphonia that had me cringing.
It does not match its predecessor but it is still a fun read, if you can look past the problematic bits and also how much of a giant dummy Abdullah is.
Weaknesses: some parts of it are problematic, specifically the descriptions of the initial arabic-like setting and some recurrent fatphonia that had me cringing.
It does not match its predecessor but it is still a fun read, if you can look past the problematic bits and also how much of a giant dummy Abdullah is.
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Animal cruelty
shawnali's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
3.75
As a follow-up to one of my favourite books of all time, this was let me down, but only slightly.
I think this is a book that didn't age as well in some aspects as it could have, but not in a way that was ever over intent on causing harm.
There were a lot of characters, particularly towards the end of this tale, that made it hard to remember who everyone was at points.
That said, I think it was a fun read, and would still recommend it. Particularly for folks with children!
I think this is a book that didn't age as well in some aspects as it could have, but not in a way that was ever over intent on causing harm.
There were a lot of characters, particularly towards the end of this tale, that made it hard to remember who everyone was at points.
That said, I think it was a fun read, and would still recommend it. Particularly for folks with children!
Moderate: Fatphobia
pythonesque's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
The worst thing about this book -- it casts a shadow to the Howl's Moving Castle, and I hate to find flaws in it!
I wouldn't give this book to my younger self, because otherwise I definitely would have hated my body even more than I already did.
I wouldn't give this book to my younger self, because otherwise I definitely would have hated my body even more than I already did.
Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Cultural appropriation
makennahbristow's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Fatphobia
ac_anemon's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
it’s good, it’s repetitive in the way that all the ‘moving castle’ books are in that all the actions the character take have them going around in circles until it reaches a boiling point and every little detail becomes relevant in this grand scheme. there’s some fatphobia i can’t let go and some, we’ll say, questionable depictions of other cultures (don’t hear characters being described as yellow these days). overall, pretty good!
Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia
nikenacs's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
Graphic: Fatphobia
shadowmaster13's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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? No
4.0
Certainly wish I'd been able to read this one while I was younger. The orientalism that is almost focused into fairy tale satire and fatphobia might have been more palatable then.
Moderate: Fatphobia