Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Severance by Ling Ma

19 reviews

aklovekorn's review

reflective tense 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Pandemic/Epidemic, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy, Death, Toxic relationship, Child death, and Terminal illness

samcanuel's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This is the only pandemic book I have been able to enjoy post-covid to date. Really well written, very thought provoking, and times honestly quite creepy. Ma’s pandemic is an imaginative commentary on the routine way we live our lives under capitalism.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Gun violence, and Medical content

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Vomit

erikwmj's review against another edition

dark funny reflective sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Confinement, Xenophobia, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Sexism and Racism

arayo's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, and Gun violence

Minor: Confinement, Xenophobia, Dementia, Sexual content, Suicide, and Vomit

dedusmuln's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Misogyny, Death, Blood, Sexism, and Confinement

Minor: Racism and Xenophobia

iro_san's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Vomit, Cursing, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual content, Gun violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Violence, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Grief

skyba3's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Stalking, Suicide, Terminal illness, Child death, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Death, Gore, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Body horror, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Confinement

Moderate: Blood, Drug use, Classism, Addiction, Racism, Alcohol, Vomit, Drug abuse, and Cursing

ru_th's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

The past is a black hole, cut into the present day like a wound, and if you come too close, you can get sucked in. You have to keep moving.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Pregnancy and Suicide

Minor: Body horror, Xenophobia, Death, Death of parent, and Dementia

erinpoo's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.75

“A second chance doesn't mean you're in the clear. In many ways, it is the more difficult thing. Because a second chance means that you have to try harder. You must rise to the challenge without the blind optimism of ignorance.” 

i really thought i might like this a bit more going into it a second time and because i am in dire need of a copy of bliss montage but! all feelings about this novel remained the same (which is not really a bad thing) 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Death

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Racism, Suicide, and Xenophobia

Minor: Gun violence

avilareads's review against another edition

reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

there were things i enjoyed about this novel (mainly its reflections on capitalism, family, and the interesting concept of the fevered) but the present tense portions of the book didn’t do much for me other than make me deeply uncomfortable. 
huge trigger warning for confinement in this novel that i had no idea of beforehand!
overall, a unique book with a captivating narrator. if it wasn’t for her flashbacks and insights on society i would not have finished this one. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Death, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Body horror, and Suicide