Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

14 reviews

fantasticalsam's review against another edition

funny

1.5

In contrast to the first book, which had a structured and tight plot, linear character development, and problematic regarding race in a way that made it difficult to tell if it was a criticism of the historical time period or not...this book bore no such unclarity.

This novel is orientalist and racist in a seemingly inclusive way that does not challenge settler-colonialism or racial bias. It's a coming of age novel, but the racism inherent to how Felicity (white main character) sees Sim (Algerian queerplatonic interest) in the first and second acts isn't ever actually addressed. Rather, the bias is written off as Felicity being distrustful of "pirates", but the group was saved by pirates last book - and in this book again! None of this character's choices make sense if she's not racist, and the fact that Sim doesn't ever call that out and is smitten with her (and, kisses Felicity without any hint of permission at one point which harkens to the predatory masculine/racially masculinized lesbian trope in a deeply uncomfortable way) is wrong.

It did have the unfortunate pairing of (1) the most nonsense plot I've ever seen, and (2) an incredibly funny line every hour or so that made it a very funny book to check out from the library and make fun of with my spouse. I wouldn't recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

oddio's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring 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? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Medical content

Moderate: Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Colonisation

Minor: Homophobia, Slavery, and Acephobia/Arophobia

katie0528's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious 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

A year after the first book, Felicity finds herself rejected from one British medical school after another. Desperate for the chance to be taken seriously, Felicity reuintes with a childhood friend, Johanna, who is engaged to a liberal minded doctor who may be willing to assist her with the help of the mysterious pirate Sim who has her own reasons to find Johanna. Things quickly spin out of control with all three girls pulled into a magical mystery of the past, forcing them to create an uneasy alliance to overcome their foes and carve a place for women in a world that has no use for them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, Medical content, and Colonisation

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia

asexual main character

maryoliverenjoyer's review

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Almost as much fun as its predecessor! Love a good story where a character has - to quote Tangled - to find a new dream and everything works out but not exactly the way they’d thought but it’s okay :’) I love Felicity Montague so much!!!!!! I love Joanna and Sym and Monty and even Platt as a character!!!!!!!!! Most of all I really love found family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Colonisation

leonormsousa's review

adventurous funny inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

justurlocalspirit's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation

water_violin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, and Colonisation

Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Slavery, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

abookandaspotoftea's review

adventurous challenging medium-paced

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

1.5

 I preface this review by stating that I am not typically driven to write a review in rage, but this book and the author have received so much praise despite being extremely problematic. I appreciate that the author centered an ace (or asexual) lead character. I also understand that this book is a historical fantasy and should be treated with a grain of salt.

Things that I loathe about this book:

• the normalization of white feminism
• the overt racism and Islamophobia
• the colonization fangirling

To @Mackenzi Lee and those who praised this book:

• Removing a person's ḥijāb without consent is a gross violation and should NEVER be normalized.
• Casually dropping the "N" word is NEVER okay. Also, get it through your daft head: the immediate assumption that black people are thieves and criminals is NOT okay. A half-hearted apology does not make up for this ridiculous shit. Stop using this as a trope.
• The idea that it is okay to plunder another nation for its resources is NOT okay. And sit your white feminist ass down with your holier-than-thou attitude that colonizers will use these looted resources to "heal" the world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

infinitefandomstrash's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

"In the company of women like this—sharp-edged as raw as diamonds but with soft hands and hearts, not strong inspite of anything but powerful because of everything—I feel invincible."

I loved it, your honor <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Medical content

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Colonisation

Minor: Animal death, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Slavery, and Death of parent

livruther's review

adventurous hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

As far as I’m concerned, Mackenzi Lee can do no wrong. I really enjoyed this book. Tbh, my least favorite thing was the plot. Like the dragon thing was so weird??? But I loved the setting, the writing, and the characters. Felicity is such an interesting protagonist and obviously I LOVE monty & percy more than life itself. They are so sweet and the way that they both put their struggling careers on hold just to come find Felicity was the sweetest thing ever. Besides the dragons, there were some other things that bothered me. 

1) Felicity’s characterization doesn’t quite match “Getting Lucky” bc in that, she is not at all homophobic, and she very explicitly speaks about sex with Monty, but she seems uncomfortable with the idea of sex in this. 
2) She mentions being homophobic bc of the Bible, but she doesn’t mention all the sexism in the Bible. I felt like she should have mentioned that. 
3) Felicity honestly didn’t seem as upset as I felt like she should be when she found out that her hero was a POS. He was basically her whole life’s inspiration and she was just like, a little bit mad that he actually sucked.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Child abuse