Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

8 reviews

gcrkl's review

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Gaslighting, Racism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Racial slurs, Suicide, Grief, Medical content, Rape, Suicide attempt, Blood, Death, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcohol, Homophobia, Animal death, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Death of parent

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Ableism, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Racism, and Child death

Moderate: Animal death, Gaslighting, Suicide, Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Animal cruelty

cookiecat73's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Medical content, Misogyny, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Child abuse, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Murder, Suicide, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Child death, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Death, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Domestic abuse

superiour_medium's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I think this book, like many in the fantasy genre of magical realism, has a tendency to take twice as long to explain something as it needs to. While the ensemble of characters is daunting at first, the stories all knit together quite well in a way that feels satisfying (if at times a bit improbable). In all honesty, I would have given this a 4.75 except for one, in my eyes, major problem: the author REPEATEDLY uses the g-slur in reference to a group of Romani people who live up the river from Radcot. I understand that this term was used contemporarily (I think the book takes place in the 1870's?) but there were definitely better ways to refer to these people especially knowing the term was a racist misidentification from centuries prior to the book's setting in time. 

On a similar note, one of the ancillary antagonists Mrs. Eavis (spelling?) is stated repeatedly to have a very pronounced nose. Eavis is a cruel

landlady/madame of the Brothel where Robin's wife is found dead

, and her villainy also continues during the

harvest faire when she claims publicly that The Child is Robin's

. I wouldn't have thought too much about the nose being used as a characteristic if not for the existing troubles re:Romani ethnic populations, so the hints of Romaphobia compounded to make me genuinely wonder if this was potentially slightly veiled antisemitism? I may be reading too far into things, but a certain British author always in the news has made me suspicious of even the most subtle signs.

Overall a fine venture into magical realism, but with some truncation & slightly greater cultural sensitivity could be a great story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Ableism and Racism

rey_reads's review

emotional mysterious reflective relaxing medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, and Racism

yaizacanopoli's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Child death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Sexism, Animal death, Misogyny, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

beholderess's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, and Medical content

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Suicide

cereads's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, Suicide, Ableism, and Misogyny