Scan barcode
aguattery's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexism, Violence, and Infertility
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Racism
bmaeus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I've seen complaints that this is from the straight ("straight") cis white girl's perspective, but you know, I appreciate it—that's the author staying in her lane. It's an alternate history that features diversity without downplaying QTPOC hardship. North also at least understands how much of a role community plays in the lives of queer people.
The worldbuilding is rock-solid and so captivating. By exacerbating the roots of the patriarchy and gender binary, it pokes holes in these institutions with impressive deftness. In that vein, I've also seen multiple complaints that this book leans into homophobia and transphobia... Are we reading the same book?
The plot was much slower and less intense than I anticipated given the breadth of information and characters. But in the end, it turns out that our protagonist's internal journey was the chief focus all along, and I can't fault it for that. Her relationship with her own body and with others'—as a healer, a woman, and a friend—is deeply satisfying to watch.
The Kid is one of the most compelling characters I've met in recent memory. I do think The Kid's disability could have been utilized more cleanly. It left me wanting at multiple points, particularly the end.
I love cowboys and I love this book. I generally stay away from such literally feminist novels, especially those written by white women, but Outlawed looks at its own world from many different angles and simply asks (with alternatingly gentle and demanding persistence) that you do the same with yours. It's heartbreaking and hopeful all the same.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Homophobia, Ableism, Medical trauma, Infertility, Sexual assault, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Dysphoria, Violence, Abortion, Death, Hate crime, and Transphobia
hmatt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Storytelling
I feel like the author was trying to fit too many events into too short of a narrative. This might have been okay, but there were so many minor events that I think we should have spent less time on, and a number of climactic events that we spent barely any time on whatsoever. A lot of these major events "fade to black" as soon as the action starts, and then we are caught up on what happened in retrospect later on - I was REALLY not a fan of this technique, and I don't think it made sense for the "western" genre.
Character-building
We do get a lot of information on most of the characters but, again, it's almost too much for how short of a book it is. What we lose out on, in my opinion, is a more profound emotional connection with the main character. We don't really dwell on her losses or feel them with her, which is extra strange given the whole novel is told in first-person.
TL;DR
The idea behind the novel is fantastic, but it tries to fit too much in. The concepts it seeks to explore are really only half-fleshed-out and the characters are hard to relate to, simply because the plot moves on too fast to hold space for these introspections.
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Medical content, Infidelity, Gun violence, Misogyny, Blood, Violence, Murder, Infertility, Sexual violence, Racism, Police brutality, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Torture, Sexism, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gore, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
Moderate: Rape, Confinement, Transphobia, Classism, Gore, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death and Drug abuse
CWs non-exhaustivedenizens98's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Racism, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Child abuse, Abortion, Transphobia, Medical trauma, Body horror, Infertility, Hate crime, Incest, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Excrement, Death, Animal death, and Alcohol
cheye13's review against another edition
- 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
That being said, I don't think western stories are really for me? There's always such a deep pain and/or hopelessness within them that never seems to hit my catharsis button. This one came very close with each of the outlaw's backstories, but the ultimate plot just left me with, "Well. Okay."
This was definitely my favorite western I've ever read, though. Leagues above.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Misogyny, and Infertility
Moderate: Pregnancy, Grief, Blood, Abortion, Confinement, Miscarriage, and Homophobia
Minor: Ableism, Rape, Alcohol, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Incest, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
ableism wrt: implied bipolar disorder (or perhaps other psychosis), implied post partum depression medical/injury content wrt: gunshot wounds, childbirth & miscarriage, castration, hypothermia, various illnessesabominablesnowaro's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal death, Misogyny, and Racism
Minor: Rape
kimveach's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Biphobia, Blood, Confinement, Death, Outing, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Homophobia, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Suicidal thoughts
clayclay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Miscarriage, and Homophobia
Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Death, and Transphobia
azalia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Murder, Death, Racism, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Homophobia, Self harm, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Addiction, Gun violence, and Hate crime
abookandaspotoftea's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Self harm, Abortion, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Infidelity