Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

14 reviews

madoka_magica_no1_fan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Transphobia

eeefann125's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Homophobia

star_charter152's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Transphobia

btg's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring fast-paced

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

4.75

A magnificent queer, found family allegory, featuring loveable characters and a fight against tyranny. This is a surprisingly heavy fantasy but absolutely realistic and addicting; I checked the sequel out of the library right away. If you're a fan of Nimona, you're going to enjoy this book. Bonus points to the author for Callie's absolutely raw, quotable lines about the world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Grief

Minor: War

The whole book is a metaphor for homophobia/transphobia, at the same time as featuring actual transphobia from the horribly cisnormative environment of Helston. The main character is repeatedly misgendered/deadnamed and the gender binary is applied to all characters in a blunt, strict degree. Three primary characters are heavily emotionally and two are physically abused, the effects of (and occasionally a toned down version of the acts themselves) are noted by the viewpoint character onscreen. There is a happy ending in this regard. The main character is confined to their room for a good portion of the narrative. A major and two secondary characters both grieve two characters throughout the events of the book. It should be additionally noted that this is NOT a cozy fantasy, and there is a fair amount of violent fighting where punches about the characters' risk are not pulled. The backstory of the world features an active war against nearby (rebels? people who rightfully feel that Helston should no longer stand given how horrifically oppressive it is?). It's handled in an incredibly nuanced way, but it influences the fears of the populace and impacts the narrative.

arrr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Fun fantasy world in which to challenge gender stereotypes. Supportive family modelling. Wonderful friendships. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

jessicayaun's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I wish I'd hopped on this one sooner.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Biphobia, Body shaming, Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood

naomiysl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

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

4.0

 Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, by Esme Symes-Smith is the successor to Alanna the Lioness in a lot of key ways. Sir Callie is a nonbinary kid who wants to be a knight, befriends the evil regent's daughter and the downtrodden young king who is into "girly things" like magic and dancing, and makes impassioned speeches about justice. They are a wonderful hero, living in a world with some supportive grownups alongside the unsupportive ones, and it's just a feel good story all around. Plus it's the first in a projected series, so you get to look forward to future books! It's the gen z Alanna, and while I won't claim there are no issues with it (for example there doesn't seem to be any racial diversity in this magical world, and I'm also not a huge fan of the plot's ending) there is a lot going for it and I'm rooting for more. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, Violence, and Xenophobia

bardicbramley's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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: Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

bluebell499's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Transphobia

Minor: Homophobia

modernmatilda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

I am so happy books like these exist in the world; books full of hope and triump and honestly, kids putting rude adults in their place. The nonbinary, queer reb is off the charts and I loved that Callie was flawed too. I would have liked more sword fighting and dragons and less speeches, but I think that is maybe to come in other books. As another reviewer said "be prepared to spend the entire book mad at abusive men"

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Transphobia

Moderate: Sexism