Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

10 reviews

emily_mh's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

4.5

I don’t want to write too much about this read, because I fear I would spoil something by accident, and I truly think the best way to experience this book is to go in not knowing much about the plot, so that you’re as confused as the MCs and disocvering the trurth right alongside them. The only reason I’m giving this less than five stars is because of some pacing issues. The first half could have been tightened up more, and more time needed to be spent on the climax. There was also an aspect of one MC that felt a bit shoehorned in and underdeveloped. But other than that, this was a truly phenomenal read, both insightful and harrowing. There were so many layers to the plot and characters that Àbíké-Íyímídé artfully constructed and peeled back for the reader. I can see why everyone raves about this work, and I’m really looking forward to reading Àbíké-Íyímídé’s 2024 release.

Rep: gay Black MC, sapphic biracial Black/white Italian/Nigerian-American MC, bi SC, Black Achillean SC

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Violence, Homophobia, Bullying, Outing, Racism, Gaslighting, and Hate crime

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Vomit, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Car accident

Minor: Murder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Child death, Sexism, Sexual content, Death, Blood, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Drug use, Ableism, Police brutality, Bullying, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Pregnancy

Major: three uses of the n-slur, eugenics Moderate: imprisoned loved one, capital punishment Minor: disownment, toxic masculinity, texturism, sick loved one, suicidal ideation, disordered eating

elliska's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The tension was great! Ending felt a little lack luster. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicide

Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, and Car accident

mothmans_secretary's review

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Bullying, Hate crime, Racism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Racial slurs, Drug use, and Cursing

Minor: Suicide attempt, Fatphobia, Stalking, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

sonoma's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Death, Medical content, Police brutality, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Fatphobia, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

hyliansee's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Hate crime, Blood, Outing, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Car accident, Classism, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Sexism, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Vomit, Fatphobia, Mental illness, and Misogyny

liaandersson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

I am beginning to understand the true depth of racism. The book gave me a lot of insight and made me realize how afraid I have been on the topic of racism. Every page gave me knowledge. Read this book!

Update: It has been a couple of months since I read it and I can tell all of you reading this review, hand to the heart, it is constantly in the back of my head. I have started my own journey towards becoming an anti-racist, and this book is one of the many reasons why. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Bullying, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Outing

Moderate: Car accident, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

rebeccameyrink's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-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

This book starts off with a quote from gossip girl and get out and that’s what it is- gossip girl meets get out. Two teens, Chiamaka and Devon who could not be more different other than being the only two black students in their prestigious private high school are targeted by “aces” a gossip girl like texter. From there a mystery unfolds. 

I totally see why this book has meant so much to so many people. I love that the two main characters were so different and from such different economic backgrounds- it brought depth to the story and highlighted the intersection of race and class. 

I found the end a little rushed but the most interesting parts of this story are it’s dissection of race, class, homophobia and the cleaver allegorical qualities. I also really enjoyed the authors personal note at the end on why she wrote it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, Racism, Car accident, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Racial slurs, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Biphobia

Minor: Body shaming, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

yvonne_cl's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Homophobia

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Fatphobia, Alcohol, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

nyoom's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Slavery

sarah984's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a wild ride of a high school thriller about two students who are targeted by a mysterious figure who seems to know everything about them. The first half was a little too slow for me, but the second half knocked my socks off. The twists were great, the character voices were fun, and I liked the ending.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Outing

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide attempt, and Vomit