Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'

The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson

21 reviews

j2teapot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.75

This is a really well written book, but I was not prepared by how sad it got, how intimately painful it would be. And how much time would be spent on the pain and grief aspect compared to hope. I did like the ending and I'm pleased it wrapped up that way.
It's not a 4* because I struggled to finish it due to the pain across the pages, however it not a 3* because I enjoyed the characters and how they developed, and it is an excellent representation of the ongoing trauma mental and domestic abuse can cause.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Antisemitism, Grief, and War

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Death of parent

silverwings95's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful slow-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? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and War

Moderate: Eating disorder, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

pinklemonadey's review

adventurous emotional slow-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

4.25

I really enjoyed this book. It was an emotional story about a woman finding and treasuring her chosen family after a toxic relationship, set in a magical and historical world. I found the characters to be relatable, especially Rin. Although I hate the antagonist from a personal standpoint, I find his writing to be compelling.

I will say that I felt a few small things were left unanswered and/or without a payoff, such as 

what happened to Mr. Davidson and why Charles would have died if he stayed in the present time

but they were not such big questions that would have left me feeling completely unsatisfied.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Racism

katiewithhats's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism and Antisemitism

aj_langley's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Antisemitism

aroma_of_books's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and War

Moderate: Antisemitism

Minor: Self harm and Alcohol

starlitpage's review

dark hopeful medium-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

3.5

This book suffers a bit from a case of modern sensibilities in a period novel. But if you can get through the first few chapters, it justifies itself with meaning and hope grounded in the book's present. In the end, it does have a modern queer hopefulness that reminds me of Becky Chambers or TJ Klune, and the period of it--sandwiched between the first and second world wars, with what that entails for a time-hopper--serves that message. I'm still not entirely sure how much to trust the historical accuracy,  but at least there's an in-text acknowledgement of the most glaring anachronism (to me, with my circus experience) and a list of sources on circus history in.the acknowledgements pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Misogyny, and Lesbophobia

The narrative is on the right side against homophobia and antisemitism

blacksphinx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

There's just one character where every part of her, from her personality, to her actions, to the way her storyline ends, that I found extremely annoying. I also don't feel that the two major plotlines really ever came together in a way that was satisfying. Those criticisms aside, it was wonderful to read a fantasy story that was deeply steeped in Judaism, and a "found family" story that actually sells you on how the characters are a family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Lesbophobia, and Classism

Minor: Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, and Pandemic/Epidemic

TW: Eye trauma, references to the Holocaust, graphic descriptions of the effect of atomic bombs on the human body.

anntharai's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad 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

Jfc this book is devastating. Like. If you have a button, this story pushes - and not just the big ones in big obvious ways. It's the little ways it reminds you of things, the one liners that you need to pause and think about, but for others will just pass them by. Which, is really apt considering one of the main mechanics of the story. 

It's fucking terrifying, sad, hopeful.  Ita about trauma and finding yourself, inevitability and searching for good. 


I picked this up because it caught my eye in the new arrivals but I'm gonna be thinking about this book for years. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Eating disorder

rhi_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death, Violence, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Homophobia, Antisemitism, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol