Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

6 reviews

augustar14's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Another gay space story where something isn't quite right. That being said, I didn't see the twist/what wasn't right coming. Don't recommend reading before bed- there's no good place to put it down. This book makes you think about what it means to be human, to connect with another. It explores what someone will do to survive, and to save the one they love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Murder, Violence, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Medical content, and Transphobia

sarahna's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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: Blood, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Excrement, War, Violence, Suicide, Medical content, and Cancer

yoursupremereads's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? No

3.75

This was something I was not expecting. Gay teens in space? Dystopia? New planet hopping? Spaceship faring? Dark science fiction with sinister AIs? This gave me a run for my money. A great addition to the YA queer canon of literature for young people to consume. A story I wish was here when I was a youngling.

Ambrose and Kodiak's light enemies to lovers journey was honestly heart warming, especially given the fact that Schrefer makes it feel like these two boys are the only people in the entire universe, so interaction was inevitable. But their budding romance was handled in the best way possible. And the looming threat of the vacuum of space outside their spaceship was ever present and tense. And the twist, made my jaw drop. Just know clones are involved and it was mind blowing. But the best thing about the story is that Ambrose and Kodiak get a happy ending that was worth the trials and tribulations of their journey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Medical content and Grief

Minor: War, Colonisation, and Classism

cryptidkay's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? No

4.5

 I'll admit that I picked this up for the space gays. I love me some space gays. But this book came right out of sci-fi left field and dragged me along with it.

The author plays amazingly well with traditionally terrifying sci-fi tropes but at the same time including two characters who blossom and grow near and dear to a reader's heart (AND each other's). Doing such with only two characters (and the OS? I guess?) is amazing. There's no where for a reader to turn if they don't particularly like the main characters. No background folks to turn to (Rover? After what it's done? Eugh. No.). And that ENDING! Damn do I love a well-deserved happy ending 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

lavender_lores's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

this book can fit so much book in it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Gaslighting

Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia

mothie_girlie's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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: Death, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Sexual content, and Cancer

Moderate: Colonisation and Gaslighting

Minor: Body horror, Homophobia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis