Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

151 reviews

pan_dulce08's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad 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

2.5

I felt the book started out really strong with the main protagonist, Kristina, really intriguing me as I found her relatable but also somewhat mysterious with how she acted, and I wanted to see her develop and come into better circumstances. I also liked the setting of Southern California and how it is picked apart and commented on by the character of Shizuka. However, I feel with everything that was added as the story progressed and how long the cast-list came to be the book fails a bit with balancing the diverse set of themes present in it. It also fails in some ways to really think critically about what is portrayed in it, which makes the characters feel less... human.

(Yes, I know some of the characters are literally in-human, but even so, actions like murder of multiple innocent people should still be treated with the gravity that action deserves by the alien characters as well, as that act is still wrong where they come from!)

For example,

Shizuka offhandedly mentions how she had done sexual favors for people in exchange for nice things like the car she drives, and later on Katrina begins the same practice... as a seventeen year old minor. Katrina was involved with sex work before, however it was clear the abuse she suffered while on the job was simply endured by her because she needed the money from it to stay alive, and the harsh nature of the clients she had to see and what they would make her do was given the narrative weight it required, but that theming and narrative standard does not carry through with what Katrina does later on in the story.

I feel like this carelessness about the acts of sexual exploitation of young women in a male-dominated industry is very confusing with what a lot of the book's focus seems to be, which is that on two women, one younger and one older, who both have scratched and clawed their ways to succeed in what they are passionate about. If anything, those acts should be treated with far more heaviness than they are by the book so as to not confuse the reader so much! 

Sorry this is so long... I enjoyed a lot of aspects and characters from the book when I read it, but a lot of things about it bothered me as well and I wanted to talk about those things...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Misogyny, Death, Violence, Physical abuse, Dysphoria, Racism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Alcoholism

saracat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

In some sci-fi or fantasy books, there is there sense of human exceptionalism that I personally don’t know how to feel about. And I’m not sure I would say I got that from this book. But I’m not sure I can say there wasn’t a feeling if it towards the end either. However, in reality, there are definitely instances when individuals from different cultures meet and that new culture teaches them something that results in them changing some views on things. And I don’t think any of this is by default good or bad. It just makes me think. 

And this book did give a lot to think about. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that combines demons and aliens. So it was very interesting to see how those elements got combined. 

Listening to the audiobook, it sometimes felt like there were very sudden jumps from one character to another, so it took me a few seconds or sentences to realize what was being said was not about the previous character. And I did sometimes struggle to keep some of the characters straight in my head. 

My heart went out constantly to Katrina and Shirley because of their kindness and the flawed adults in their lives. I found Lan and Shizuka to be complicated and flawed, but still likable characters who had a lot of growth. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Rape, and Homophobia

Minor: Sexual harassment

Not just people being transphobic but internalized transphobia

laguerrelewis's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

“When two violins are placed in a room if a chord on one violin is struck
the other violin will sound the note”
—Say Yes, Andrea Gibson

Light From Uncommon Stars is difficult to distill. A plot synopsis often leaves your audience thinking “how does that fit together?” This is actually Stars’ greatest strength—it contains multitudes, and its insight is fathomless. Like Gibson says in the poem quoted above, Ryka Aoki is able to play the exact chords that resonate and sound in the reader. The result is a moving and incredibly affecting story of legacy, love, connection, community, mistakes, the condition of being alive, and the connective power of music and donuts. These words will stay with me for years to come. Keep tissues on hand, and do not read this book hungry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Death, Dysphoria, Sexual content, War, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Outing, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Deadnaming, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, and Medical content

cazadork's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria and Transphobia

Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, and Deadnaming

scmiller's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Transphobia, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Rape, Blood, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, and Murder

Minor: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, and Gore

apollo0325's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

5.0

This book still fucking SLAPS so hard. Beautiful writing, elegant prose, excellent characters and setting, and magical and donut-y world building. Caution: look into trigger warnings, but if you’re able to handle it, PLEASE read this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Dysphoria, Outing, Transphobia, Bullying, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Rape, Violence, Body shaming, and Self harm

Minor: War

cloudyfields's review

hopeful lighthearted 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and Violence

jessamo19's review

adventurous dark emotional funny slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Self harm

larbster90's review

hopeful inspiring reflective 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: Body shaming, Bullying, and Transphobia

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Deadnaming, Death, and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcoholism, War, Violence, and Murder

pandsomeboi's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-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

“Equally heartwarming and heartbreaking.” That’s how this book was described to me by one of the multiple people who recommended it. I don’t know how this book flew under my radar for a year, but I’m so glad folks made sure I found it! Just read it. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. Ever. It realistically incapsulates so many different experiences of life as “other;” the pain, the joy, and everything in between.

The best part is that it stands on its own as YA, and as sci-fi, and as fantasy, and as speculative fiction. Still feel weary about trans folks? Well how do you feel about space aliens? Or demons? Or music? Or food? Or immigration? Or coming-of-age stories? There are so many in-roads! It’s an amazing piece of literature. Creative. Well-written. Exciting. Compelling. And emotional! Everything you want.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Cultural appropriation, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Abandonment, Body shaming, Classism, Deadnaming, War, Bullying, Outing, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Grief, Transphobia, and Xenophobia