Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Stöld by Ann-Helén Laestadius

56 reviews

rowsoflilacs's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this book. It was the first time I really learned about Sámi people, communities, and way of life. The storytelling was tense but beautiful. I left this book with a new knowledge about the Sámi and some of the issues their communities experience, as well as a passion to inform others and join the fight for Sámi rights.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Stalking

vixenreader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

As important as it is gripping, this book sums up what it means to advocate for yourself, your culture, your mental health, and your own land without wallowing into sentimentality. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Gun violence, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Dementia, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, and Car accident

Be wary of police negligence, slander, school yard fights, property damage, adults threatening children, an attempt at a home invasion, funerals, and PTSD.

linnypesto's review against another edition

dark informative inspiring sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Suicide

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

szucker6's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Racism

cantfindmybookmark's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

strwberidaquiri's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Tragic and sad, paints vivid picture of what happens when hate gets in the way and is passed down through generations. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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

4.5

 Stolen is set north of the Arctic Circle in a Sámi community. The story unfolds in two sections. In the first Elsa is nine years old and witnesses the illegal killing of one of her reindeer, an event that traumatises her. The second section is ten years later, when Elsa is trying to find her own way in the Sámi community but coming up against sexism and ingrained traditions. Reindeer poaching continues to be a major problem and then fate provides Elsa with the opportunity to confront the man who killed her reindeer a decade earlier.

This book provided me an opportunity to learn about the Sámi, their way of life and the obstacles, difficulties, and prejudices they face, via an engaging and absorbing story. I loved the specificity of the story and how immersive it was, never pandering to readers like me who have little to no prior knowledge of Sámi. Having said that, one of the things that struck me was the universality of some of Elsa’s experiences, particularly her interactions with the police. Their total lack of interest in dealing with the illegal killing of reindeer, effectively a hate crime against Sámi, was infuriating and remarkably similar to what I know of police behaviour with other indigenous and marginalised communities worldwide.

Elsa was a fabulous character, both as a young girl and then as a feisty young woman. Robert, while not a likeable character, was so well-drawn. Sadly I’ve met many men just like him. The sense of place was strong and I think the author did a great job portraying how vulnerable Elsa, her family, and the rest of her Sámi community felt, with their way of life being threatened both directly and indirectly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Racism

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide

itaby's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Racism, and Torture

Moderate: Racial slurs

Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt

readingtheend's review against another edition

3.0

as a little girl, Elsa sees someone kill her beloved reindeer, and the killer threatens to hurt her and her family if she tells. the reindeer killings continue as she gets older, and despite there being an obvious racist motive, the police won't do anything about it. I loved getting a glimpse into Sami life. really enraging to see how this type of bigotry looks so much the same world over. the reindeer killings were very distressing at times, I will say!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Racism

Moderate: Suicide

marionlundqvist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy