Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Popisho by Leone Ross

9 reviews

manaledi's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

I had so many moments where I was like what the hell did I just read I need to talk to someone what is going on and why and is there a deeper metaphor or is shit just strange. I feel like you could write an entire thesis on this book and yet I still can't decide what the lessons are. It sticks with you though from the three buttocks to the pum-pums to the moths. I'm still also wondering if indigent here is a play on indigenous. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Classism, Grief, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexism, and Sexual content

Minor: Pregnancy

bookishmillennial's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

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

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial  

This was a fever dream and a bit hard to follow for my pea-brain. However, take this with a grain of salt because I am trying to diversify my genres and I have not read TOO much magical realism, surrealism or fabulism. I am continuing to dip my toes deeper and deeper in, but I am still at the beginning of my journey lol! 

I appreciated the vivid illustrations of the culture on the island of Popisho, from the fruits to the land, to the sounds/music, and beyond. Ross did such a beautiful job of writing with such animation and delight. I will definitely check out more of Ross's work! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Addiction

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, Infidelity, and Suicide

Minor: Misogyny, Rape, Child death, and Sexism

thewellbitch's review against another edition

challenging emotional lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

I don't know what to say about this book. It's unique and I'm glad to have read it because it's a whole-ass experience, but at the same time I don't think I can recommend it because I can't think of anyone who would enjoy it lmao. The writing is poetic and musical, the characters are vibrant, the plot was interesting, but it was still hard. Listening to the audiobook at the same time I was reading was definitely the right choice for me, I couldn't have finished it if it was one or the other.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Child death, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Infidelity

faithe's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Body horror, Death, Medical content, Animal death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicide, Homophobia, Infertility, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Mental illness, Self harm, Death of parent, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, and Religious bigotry

myk_yeah's review against another edition

inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was an absolute joy. Such a magical and enthralling reading experience. Be prepared not to understand everything the first (or fifth) time you're introduced to something, it really benefits you to be along for the ride. Such an outstanding book and like nothing I've ever read before. Loved every character, how the POVs were done, and how the story and the world kept you guessing.
The only thing that was annoying about this book was all the gender essentialism. I noted ableism on the part of the author as well, but didn't make a note of where it showed up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Addiction

Minor: Rape, Death, Sexual violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Ableism

audreyxine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

I haven't the faintest idea even where to begin. This book was so brilliant, so challenging, and so bizarre. It covers cast grounds and explores so many corners of the human experience. I have so many quotes from this book that will stick with me forever. The world of Popisho is so surreal and yet it feels so tangible. 

My biggest criticism is the length. I would have preferred about 50 less pages. The momentum was hard to keep up, especially with all the jumping around between characters. 

For anyone thinking about picking this one up, I strongly recommend binging it. It needs to be a fever dream in order to make sense.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Classism, Excrement, Infidelity, Grief, Homophobia, Suicide, Vomit, Child death, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

carlyalynnsia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Racism, and Body horror

madelynfrank's review against another edition

emotional funny 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 got this book from the library because it had a pretty cover. And now it’s one of my top favorites. 
Beautiful prose, interesting and fun setting. Many extremely unique and strong characters and I love them all. It was a joyful escapist magical fantasy that still spoke on food scarcity, complex colonialism, addiction, misogyny. Smart and special and I wish I had more. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexism, Addiction, Classism, Death, Genocide, Grief, Alcoholism, Racism, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, and Infidelity

hollyd19's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

4.0

Reading Popisho felt like a tripping headfirst into an adult version of The Phantom Tollbooth set to a soundtrack of "For The Benefit of Mr. Kite."

Set in a fictional Caribbean archipelago called Popisho, this delightful and kaleidoscopic book takes place over the course of a day and follows a chorus of magical characters as the impending wedding of the Governor’s daughter approaches. At the center of it all is Xavier Redchoose, the macaenus (a role appointed-by-the-gods to prepare a meal for every Popisho resident over his tenure). 

This was easily one of the most creative books I’ve ever read. Everyone in Popisho is born with “cors,” another word for some sort of magical endowment. But not in a predictable witchcraft/sorcery way. Cors are as varied as people; some people have extremely long limbs, others can detect when you lie, others can change the colors of random objects. Author Leone Ross also committed impressively to world-building. There were so many invented words that I gave up on looking up definitions and just leaned in to the disorientation. And every plot turn felt completely original and entrancingly chaotic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Drug use

Moderate: Blood, Death, Grief, Miscarriage, Infertility, and Infidelity

Minor: Suicide, Child death, Colonisation, Sexism, and Pregnancy