Reviews

The Free People's Village by Sim Kern

searobin's review

adventurous challenging dark hopeful reflective 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

This was really really good. I couldn't put it down, and so much resonated. It did tell rather than show a lot, but I'm going to forgive that this time, because it felt authentic to the journal style of writing. 

thewolfy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

yesthattom's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? No

5.0

getlitwithamy_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective 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

4.25

this book takes place in an alternate 2020 where al gore was president instead of gwb. there was a “war on climate” instead of the war on terror, and the country became greenwashed while the poor, marginalized, predominantly PoC communities stayed in harsh material conditions. a popular home/community called “the lab” is under potential threat of being torn down, along with other neighboring buildings, so a new hyperway (highways) can be made to further gentrify the slowly gentrifying neighborhood 

this is a very interesting book so far since the protagonist is a femme white woman teaching at an all Black school and unknowingly contributing to gentrification. she slowly goes through a political awakening and wants to use her privilege to fight with the free people’s village 

there’s another character with neo-pronouns, which i’ve never read in fiction before!! the character who goes by Red used xe/xim/zir pronouns 

it’s not my favorite book but it’s also not my least favorite. i think sim kern knows how to scene build pretty well despite the fact that it feels more “tell” than “show” at times. however, it’s a good revolutionary story 

gmercado1990's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

mooneyreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

I will be thinking about this book for a long time. 

tiredbutawesome's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

4.0

Felt a little too relevant to the current state of the world, especially toward the end. I wouldn’t call it a comfortable read, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good 

hellohihunter's review against another edition

challenging hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

anjiyy's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

1.0

probably the worst book ive ever read and not because i didnt agree with what was trying to be done but this was the worst way to approach it. the main character was unbearable to read.

smelendez's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful reflective 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

5.0