Reviews tagging 'Deadnaming'

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

95 reviews

caitc90's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

L

The life story of multiple women at different stages of their lives, as girls, as others.Told in the perspective of each person, their heat breaking stories of SA, domestic abuse and death, and heart warming stories of their first loves, last loves, being their authentic selves.

I really enjoyed this one, listening to it was a little confusing at first when I didn’t realise it was going through all the chapters of the same person before continuing onto the next thinking hmm didn’t she just say chapter 5, how are we at chapter 2 now. But that’s just me being distracted by my kids. The narrators voice was beautiful and so nice to listen to, I think she did the story justice. Overall it was a really enjoyable read, I don’t think I would have preferred the physically read it as the narrator added to the story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Deadnaming, and Physical abuse

uncreativeoops's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Drug use, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Islamophobia, Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Rape, Slavery, Sexism, Sexual content, Homophobia, Colonisation, and Deadnaming

Minor: Cancer, Physical abuse, Abortion, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Addiction, Antisemitism, and Alcohol

lucille_c's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Sexism, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Antisemitism, Grief, Drug use, Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Transphobia

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Cancer, War, and Slavery

apoll0smum's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

One of my new favorite books of all time, Girl, Woman, Other is a powerful collection of vignettes depicting various characters as they navigate the struggles within the intersections of gender, race, sexuality, and socioeconomic class. There is no book like it and I doubt there will be another that comes close to accomplishing the beauty and heartache of being a “girl/woman/other.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

tatjanasbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Gaslighting, Grief, Infertility, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Child death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Sexism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, and Colonisation

Minor: Homophobia, Deadnaming, and Abandonment

paigereitz's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

5.0

Wow. Just - wow. This book was phenomenal. A series of character sketches of (mainly British Black femme) characters across a diverse range of ages and ideologies that weave in and out of each other's lives. Exploration of racism, colorism, immigrant issues, LGBTQIA issues, feminism in its many forms, love, relationships, inequitable educations - so much in here to unpack. I suspect I'll find myself coming back to it in the future. Bernadine Evaristo displayed an amazing ability to really get into the skin of her characters, many of whom have exceedingly disparate experiences, and do so flawlessly. This was an amazing book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Racism, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Colonisation, Cursing, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Xenophobia, Classism, Alcohol, and Drug abuse

Minor: Pregnancy, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Deadnaming

jayisreading's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

Evaristo is brilliant at weaving stories together seamlessly and showing how they all connect with one another. It’s not only between characters but thematically that just played out so well. Girl, Woman, Other is definitely one of those books worth rereading to better see how everything connects. Another wonderful thing about this book is how Evaristo presented intersectionality with such eloquence. This book isn’t just about one specific social category. She beautifully presented the complexities of identity and the impact it has on each character and their interactions with the world.

The writing style took a little getting used to, but once you do, Evaristo simply sweeps you away. I wish I didn’t read this book in short sittings, because the flow of the book is such an integral part. (Alas, my schedule and attention span made it difficult to read this for long periods of time, ugh.)

I’ll likely have to revisit this book, especially now that I know what to expect and can pay attention to more specific details.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug use and Transphobia

Minor: Deadnaming, Death, Slavery, and Miscarriage

grandpabuxton's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

4.75

beautiful, poetic, wrenching, relatable, unexpected, prescient. one of my favorite reads in a long while. an incredible breadth of a story, and I felt inside the heads and hearts of each of the characters.

My only disappointment was I felt the epilogue was a little predictable and I wanted more from it, but not sure what. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Outing, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Rape, Misogyny, Grief, Death, Deadnaming, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Classism, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Racism, Islamophobia, Incest, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Child death, and Infertility

b_austridge's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Lesbophobia, Rape, Deadnaming, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion, Child death, and Miscarriage

hannahbailey's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I loved this! What a cracking book, I can't believe I didn't read this sooner.

Generally I prefer not to read character-vignette novels written in third-person. But this novel just goes to show that when done well, I can really enjoy them! I loved the distinct voice of each character and how they would be name-dropped in one chapter only to be the main character of the next one. It built such an interesting and creative narrative without leaving me feeling I didn't know enough about them–which is usually the case for me with character-vignettes.

Surprised to see some reviews stating the character dialogue and mix of poetry/prose was hard to believe and unrealistic. I completely disagree! The inner dialogue of the female characters was relatable and familiar. I enjoyed the exploration of womanhood and motherhood and how this intersects with race in Britain. It was an interesting and sobering read.

It was almost 5 stars, but there was a part where the character overcomes drug addiction by sheer willpower–they literally stay at home for a week without any form of support and somehow recovers? This didn't feel realistic to me especially given the vulnerability and young age of the character. That said, this was one of the chapters that really stood out to me in its exploration of body/gender dysphoria and trans joy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, Racism, Alcohol, Abortion, Addiction, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug use, Blood, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Slavery, Transphobia, and Xenophobia