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evehowell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
i was driven largely in my reading of it by the introduction’s statement that it tells of what happens to a colonised people’s morality in the aftermath of defending themselves, and i saw this message very expertly woven throughout the narrative. politically, this book is a masterpiece - an easy 5/5.
outside of its “real world” implications, the book is also fantastic. the characters are brilliant - davidson’s pure evilness is compelling (although it almost sent me spiralling in rage at times), lyubov both admirable and pitiable, and selver the unlikely antihero - what can you do but root for him?
the most compelling part for me, which will haunt me for weeks to come, was lyubov’s reaction to selver’s warning about the attack on Central. the very small admission that he knew what it meant and didn’t allow himself to act on it, in itself an act of both sacrifice and betrayal, is haunting. selver’s acceptance of lyubov being victim of the attack, but the everlasting impact of accepting this fact, gives perfect and realistic weight to the reality of the situation.
i could talk about this book for hours. it’s true that having read it has changed me as a person, and for that i’m very grateful.
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
nyxlikesbook's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, War, Colonisation, and Sexism
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape
elliotyork's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape
waqupi's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Slavery, Colonisation, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Racism, and Xenophobia
morenowagain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Violence, Murder, Sexism, Drug use, Rape, Racism, Gun violence, Gore, Genocide, and Death
itsnotsarah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Colonisation, Racism, Slavery, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
trailmixraisins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Murder, Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Slavery, War, Xenophobia, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, Misogyny, Torture, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
Minor: Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
laimab's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
1) Dr. Lyubov, a sort of anthropologist eager to understand how the Ashtheans lived. However, his learnings were used to take advantage of the Ashtheans, against his will.
2) Davidson, a racist and prepotent military man. A truly unlikable character that we're forced to follow. Every time a chapter was from his perspective we would get introduced to a disgusting bias of race and species. He was intolerant of other humanoid species, like the Urrasti and Hainish, and also intolerant of Asian and European Terrans.
3) Selver, an Ashthean who, due to immense sorrow in witnessing his planet being destroyed and his wife violently killed, adopted violence as a means of defence.
Ashtheans were profoundly changed by their interaction with their colonisers. As a society, they got introduced to violence that started against the colonizers and remained in their society, from then on between each other. We witness Selver becoming insane because of grief and rage. We witnessed a species that was the epitome of peaceful resort to large-scale organised violence. This transformation affects Selver intimately, affecting even his "dream-time", now haunted by Dr. Lyubov. It's sad to see how a good, fair intention led to the corruption of souls. In the journey to justice, to peace, he had to resort to extreme violence, corrupting his peaceful existence.
I think that this is a great lesson on resistance movements, and about how when you engage in resistance, to defend your integrity or of those around you, to act on what you believe in, you are also changed and affected by the injustice. It makes you colder and it taints you. Even when you reach the objective, the violence remains in you. Through memories that won't easily go away due to the way you had to go beyond what you believe in, the way you had to make yourself be understood by using the "enemy's" methods.
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault
sunkissedcat's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Xenophobia, Genocide, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Slavery, and Gun violence
Minor: Drug use and Rape
becksusername's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Genocide, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Violence, Rape, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, War, Vomit, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Murder, Slavery, Confinement, Death, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury