Reviews tagging 'Cultural appropriation'

Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

6 reviews

allyem_reads's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 5.57 CAWPILE

This is not at all what I was expecting when I picked this book up. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I can't tell you. What I can say is that the ending was really unsatisfying? I feel like we didn't get any closure. But I did like how the author portrayed grief and depression. This whole book was really a study of grief, and it was well done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Death, and Drug use

Moderate: Medical trauma, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Violence, Homophobia, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

dianna_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Cultural appropriation, and Car accident

Also detailed look at poverty and generational trauma of always living paycheck to paycheck without financial security

lanid's review against another edition

emotional reflective

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Cultural appropriation, Death, Drug use, Grief, and Lesbophobia

bluedilly's review against another edition

hopeful slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Animal death, Death, and Drug use

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Violence, Sexual content, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcohol, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Biphobia

annegoodreads's review against another edition

dark lighthearted sad slow-paced

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

3.5

Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn is a look at the folklore of Hawaii.  I loved learning about the different gods, their connection to the land, and the struggles of indigenous Hawaiians.  A family of 5 lives on Honoka struggles to make ends meet even though both Mom and Dad (Augie and Malia) work.  The three siblings (Dean, Kaui, and Nainoa) have the usual sibling rivalries.  Nainoa (Noa) has healing powers which the parents take advantage of by collecting payment from those who come to be healed.  Noa’s gift is also a curse for him though.  The story was just long and drawn out.  It had all sorts of intricacies on the 4 other family members' lives which were irrelevant to the ultimate storyline.  The mother’s story is told in the second person which was weird.  The book also has odd sex scenes.  It was interesting and different.  Let’s just say it’s one of those families which make you think yours may not be so odd.  I’m just not smart enough to appreciate the literary aspect of the book.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Cultural appropriation

Minor: Drug use

mitone_winona's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective tense 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

First thing about this book, it does a beautiful example of combining magical realism with the realities of being in the modern times as well as combining the culture of Hawaii into a twist that I understand deeply as someone who is indigenous in America. Not only does the book deal with magical realism and how it affects the family, but its understandable in a way that is very modern and I believe relatable even if the book wasn't about the current things going on with Noa, who is a pseudo centerpiece that is surrounded and switched out by his family member's perspective of how they view Noa and the affect of their parents on the 3 children as well as Noa's existence being exceptionally amazing, he is still a young man who grew up overly praised rather than seen as a boy and a human.

This book is so natural and real with how it goes over being siblings in a challenging dynamic, being successful in a way that matters so much to you and your parents, and the consequences of reality on those goals and aspirations. Each sibling is very unique in both struggles and goals they all wish to achieve.

This book is so natural and realistic in a way that makes you cheer on even if the moment is tense. You want these characters to thrive and continue on. I highly suggest you read this book if you like magical realism combined with TRUE reality that intertwines both amazingly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Death, Drug abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Violence