Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin

19 reviews

takarakei's review against another edition

adventurous slow-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? Yes

3.5

In the author's note N.K. Jemisin wrote that she had a hard time finishing this series (and switched it from a trilogy into a duology) because the things she wrote about in book 1 became reality. I can totally understand losing motivation, and indeed it was eerie to read about - it really did not seem like fiction.

Unfortunately the struggle was felt while reading. The pace of the book was a bit slow - not a lot happening from each character's pov until towards the end. It felt a little meander-y and I wasn't super engaged overall. The political storyline in particular I did not find super compelling. I did really enjoy the 'interruption' chapters that visited the other cities & really emphasizing just how young the US (and NYC) is. I found the ending to be a bit too tidy also. I really loved the first book, so it's a shame this one didn't quite meet that high bar.

These remain fantastic audiobooks, they really are almost like graphic audios with sound fx! If you're going to read this series and enjoy audiobooks I highly recommend those.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Transphobia, Gun violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Homophobia

mementomoriiv's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, and Xenophobia

quarkie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Gosh, reading this book reminded me why the previous one was also a 5 star read. Jemisin's writing is pure poetry. It has this amazing lyrical flow to it, such that it is easy to get lost in. I read this book in 2 days. It was amazing.

What I liked: Each character has such a strong point of view, and is so multi-dimensional. They feel so effortlessly real. Jemisin puts them in so many (terrible, awful, amazing, beautiful, human) true-to-life situations, and they respond in a way that feels both real and true to their characters. I feel like I know each character - not that I know a specific individual that is just like them, but they serve as true avatars of not only their boroughs but for their populations. So many of the thought processes and comments that characters make are so relatable, and I see them played out daily. Nothing in the book "just happens" - everything has a cause as well as an effect. The storylines are tight and pacing is great. And I just can't get over how beautifully written it was.

What I didn't like: I think my only complaint was that while some of the pop and political cultural references feel fresh now (in 2024), but I'm not sure how well some of them will age.

Concepts that will stick with me: In a way, this book personifies racism, xenophobia, and gentrification by turning it into a singular entity that can be taken on and beaten. This is a comforting thought. It explores the concept of "personality gentrification", or as I came to think of it, gentrification of the soul. It also deals with what happens what the gentrifier meets with gentrification. It also shows how someone can be seen as "nice" by one set of people (and actually be genuinely nice to them), but also participate in oppressive structures that hurt everyone, including the people they are nice to. It's a haunting exploration of the fragility of xenophobes (especially the well-meaning ones), and the mental and emotional work people have to put in to deal with that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation and Cursing

Moderate: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Homophobia, Murder, Racism, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Transphobia, Colonisation, and Violence

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Mass/school shootings, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, and Death

brynalexa's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious 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? No

4.0

Similar to the The City We Became in that it was slow to start even though I was invested in the characters. I was getting worried toward the end that it was going to end in a marvel-like battle scene at the end which it did not and took a lovely turn. Very interesting concept and world that was very well researched. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide and Deportation

Minor: Blood, Homophobia, Violence, Hate crime, Police brutality, Stalking, Cursing, Abandonment, Racism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and War

beccaand's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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: Classism, Racism, Xenophobia, Violence, Gun violence, Transphobia, Homophobia, Hate crime, and Body horror

Moderate: Police brutality

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Death, Classism, and Grief

Moderate: Transphobia, Gaslighting, Homophobia, and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual content, Abandonment, Colonisation, Car accident, and Slavery

alisonvh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging fast-paced

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

5.0

I read the prequel, but this one I listened to on audio and I’m so glad I did! The narrator is phenomenal and they include sound effects.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Homophobia, Transphobia, Abandonment, and Racism

rainbowyeticorn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

This is the third book of the series. The first is a short story, which the following two books including this one being full length novels.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Racism, Mass/school shootings, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Confinement, and Bullying

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Colonisation, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Ableism

I really loved this series so much. The narrator does such a fabulous job bringing all the characters to life. I highly recommend reading the audiobook version over the print version or maybe reading and listening to both at the same time because in my opinion this is the best way to experience this fabulous book!

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

A super fun conclusion to this epic story! I'll miss meeting all of the city avatars and watching New York fight an otherworldly entity that weaponizes hate, political unrest, and corporate stores. I feel like I wanted a little more from the ending than this whole Digimon-esque wrapup, but was not deebly disappointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Police brutality, Racism, Transphobia, Gun violence, Deportation, Xenophobia, and Classism

lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition

challenging mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

I have to say that I didn't quite like this as much as The City We Became, but I still enjoyed it a lot.  I feel like the villains got off a little too easy.  And in a real world full of injustice, it would be nice to see justice served in fiction, but that is my moral code speaking.  Aislyn is not likable in the first book and doesn't improve much here (which makes her an interesting character, but a bit harder to root for). This book felt lighter than the first one in content and action.  My main complaint is I wanted more of the characters interacting.  They are fun together!  Things felt like they could have been fleshed out more.  I really enjoyed seeing the other cities and the interesting revelation about Manny's family back in Chicago.  It's such a fascinating conceit to have avatars for cities.  If by some chance you have read this series, but not Jemisin's How Long 'Til Black Future Month?, the first story in that collection (which is excellent) is a prologue to this duology, where we see NYC being born.  Well worth the read.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Gun violence, and Classism