Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

75 reviews

modernmatilda's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad 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? No

5.0

If you're going to read this book, PLEASE do yourself a favor and listen to the author read via audiobook while reading a physical copy. Her performance and delivery should be heard and her word choices should be treasured. 

I felt seen and I saw others because of this book. Would DEFINITELY recommend to everyone, especially high schoolers. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Drug use

tlaynejones's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexism

eggbois_gf's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-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

This was a heartbreaking read, and I would pay to read it again for the first time. Elizabeth Acevedo strikes again!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism and Sexual harassment

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Moving, beautiful novel in verse about how sometimes you have to become who you’re meant to be despite whatever obstacles stand in your way, even when those obstacles might be the people who are supposed to love and care about you the most. A quick read, this book moved me through every conceivable emotion and the relationship between the mother and daughter, while not exactly like my own, definitely resonated with me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Religious bigotry

kindredspirit7's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is absolute perfection. The audiobook is impeccable. I don’t live in New York. I’m a white middle class young woman from the Appalachian mountains. But there was something so relatable in the way x related with Christianity and the way she experiences her first love. Her relationship with her mother. It all spoke to the 16 year old girl in me who was grappling with love and sex and who she was all while surrounded by a family that was pious and knowing she was different. The writing is beautiful. The story is heartwarming and heartbreaking. I laughed, I cried, I felt  angry for X. If I could make it everyone read this book I would. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Cursing, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Body shaming

kaimetcalfe's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Body shaming

Moderate: Infertility, Bullying, Drug use, and Homophobia

Minor: Addiction

august69's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Body shaming

Moderate: Sexual content and Homophobia

rivernoel22's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Racism, and Sexism

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring fast-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

I wanted to read this book as I'd seen so many good things about this author and I wanted to dive into her work, so I thought I would start with Poet X and it did not disappoint.  

This book is based on Xiomara Batista and she feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighbourhood. Ever since her body started to grow in curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers – especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her biology class who is called Aman, who her family can never know about. Her Mami is determined to force her daughter to obey the laws o the church, so Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. But she gets invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend with Mami finding out, much less speak her private thoughts and feelings out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems. Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.  

I love this book. It's a brutal book, but I loved it. I wanted to protect Xiomara with my life. I wanted more, I wanted to see if Xiomara and Twin could break out of their mother’s clutches. I wanted to see Twin happy and Xiomara happy. This book is heavily based on religion and Xiomara rebelling against it (which is perfectly fine – what her mother did was not). I think the way this book is presented as a bunch of poems made it a very easy read. I felt like it was going to lose some of the storyline doing that, but it really didn’t. It managed to keep you intrigued and the storyline flowing.  

I don’t personally there is any weaknesses so to say about this book, I just think the ending was a little rushed, I would have loved to see the relationship with her and her mother grow if she wanted it to and to see her friendship develop with the Slam kids, but overall,  I thought it was an interesting read and I would love for another book to be made from Xavier’s point of view and see him find his way in the world.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Violence, Homophobia, and Body shaming

jbook's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Body shaming, Misogyny, Bullying, Fatphobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Cursing

Moderate: Homophobia