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_prism's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Colonisation
mage's review against another edition
It’s interesting reading reviews insisting that the only interpretation of Luke is a trans man because, as a cis woman, I related heavily to her circumstances and would do the exact same thing and behave in the exact same way as her if I was in her situation. Nothing is more unappealing to me than being trapped in 1850s female gender roles and, if given a chance, I absolutely would have opted out. Which doesn’t make me trans—it just means that I want more options than the extremely limited ones afforded to women.
Anyway I think the bigger critique of this novel is the casual racism that pervades the narrative. Was the scene where an indigenous man tries to barter for Nora because she has red hair really necessary?
Anyway I think the bigger critique of this novel is the casual racism that pervades the narrative. Was the scene where an indigenous man tries to barter for Nora because she has red hair really necessary?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Classism, Misogyny, Racism, Miscarriage, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, Stalking, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Addiction, Homophobia, and Gun violence
rainbowrachel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Pregnancy
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Dysphoria, and Colonisation
gersandelf's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
This Uber Xena story has all of my favourite fanfiction tropes (fake marriage, strangers to friends to lovers) and a very interesting cross-dressing genderqueer lesbian narrative that made me smile a lot. The book's treatment of Indigenous people and sex workers is... honestly completely unacceptable by today's standards, though I suppose the racism and whorephobia in general could be characterised as era-appropriate. From a historical fiction perspective, I'm not enough of a historian to give a proper opinion on that, but I have to say that while the setting "felt" correct, a lot of the dialogue by the middle and latter half of the book between the two main characters felt jarringly modern. Anyways, that's my two cents, and in my opinion racist portrayals of Native American nations is not something a reader should have to surmount to enjoy a book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Transphobia, Violence, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Miscarriage
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