Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Crosshairs by Catherine Hernandez

4 reviews

kp_writ's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Such a necessary read, especially for white queers (lots of discussion around performative allyship here, and how to be better). The way this novel interweaves so many unique stories through fairly seamless narration is superb. This is a dark story, for sure, but it captured me in a way that I read it all in one sitting. Lots of political commentary here, and I'll be interested to reread this a few years from now.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Xenophobia, Violence, Kidnapping, Transphobia, Slavery, Racism, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, Genocide, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Hate crime, Police brutality, Murder, Medical trauma, Homophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Suicide, Pregnancy, War, Rape, Excrement, Colonisation, Animal death, and Panic attacks/disorders

readingwithkt's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

CROSSHAIRS by Catherine Hernandez is a brutal dystopian novel, unflinching in its account of a fascist regime that sweeps Canada in the aftermath of a climate crisis. The Boots are tasked with rounding up The Others, a term used to refer to anybody who is BAME/BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+. The Renovation movement involves all Others being taken to forced labour camps and brutalised, often murdered. This book is violent, graphic and extremely unsettling. 

In the way that all good dystopian stories are written, this book could easily be a possible future, a prediction of what could come if we are not careful to challenge and destroy the growing wave of fascism. I particularly appreciated Hernandez’s reflections on intersectionality throughout the narrative.

Though somewhat heavy handed in places, I thought that Crosshairs was a chilling and harrowing dystopian, and one that is certainly worth a read if you can handle the graphic violence and dehumanisation tactics depicted throughout. It took me several (3-4) months to read this novel due to the content. 

May this book serve as a reminder of the dangers of fascism, and the need for all allys to speak up and take action in the face of it.

Thank you to Jacaranda for this review copy, received in exchange for an honest review.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, and Xenophobia

Minor: Rape

kharlan3's review against another edition

challenging dark tense

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Trafficking, Transphobia, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, and Gore

Minor: Biphobia

forced sterilization

theliteraryhooker's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Ableism, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Police brutality, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide