Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

19 reviews

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Racism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Rape and Self harm

klutzykara's review

emotional hopeful informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow, this was so good! I definitely want to pick up The Mountains Sing asap to experience more from this author! I loved the writing and characters in this so much. All three point of views were engaging and interesting to read about, although I admit I was probably most invested in Trang's story. I did not want to put it down and really enjoyed all parts of the novel. It was paced well and I thought the ending was very good.

Very impactful and memorable read. I would highly recommend it - it's definitely one of the best historical fiction novels I've read over the years. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion

sophiekingo's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Abandonment

internationalreads's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

This was.. fine? It felt like a book written to teach Americans about the Vietnam war rather than to tell a story set in that time. Disappointing after loving The Mountains Sing so much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

tahsintries's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infidelity

mondovertigo's review

dark emotional sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Abandonment, War, and Classism

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Car accident, and Abortion

noladawnreads's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Child death and Rape

plottwisttravels's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and War

Moderate: Rape

low_keybookish's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I have been SO excited for Dust Child to be released, and so thankful to have ready an early copy. Dust Child is a multiple POV story of different characters who are affected by the Vietnam War. The story focuses a lot on the experiences of Amerasian children who are mixed race and born of Vietnamese women and US military men. As the author describes in her author's note, these mixed race people experience a lot of discrimination and challenges and so she wanted to highlight what they went through.

I love multiple POV, especially when it's so clearly written. Sometimes I get confused by other books when there are too many characters--in Dust Child, each POV is distinct and could be their own book. The way the characters come together is also satisfying for the plot, but also in raising questions on reconciliation, the legacies of militarization and war, and racial economic disparities in impossible situations. 

The story also goes back and forth in time (during the Vietnam War, and up to 2019), which helps to highlight the author's goal of trying to show that the effects of the Vietnam War continue to today. Anyone who was involved with the war walked away scared, and the book shows lingering mental and physical health issues for the characters. The author has some poignant moments that call out the white savior complex, especially through Mr. Thien, and it's so satisfying that the Vietnamese characters have agency and are whole persons. (I'm done with stories that show war in such a one-sided viewpoint that only glorifies the U.S.). 

The book covers a lot of topics and cw as expected: rape, violence, murder, death, PTSD, war, chemical warfare, racism, etc. Though not a light hearted read, highly recommend this book--it's an important read esp in the contemporary context of ongoing warfare.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, Violence, and War

Moderate: Rape