Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Winners by Fredrik Backman

14 reviews

feministy's review

emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Well, we all knew what were getting into before opening this one. I cried at the end, and this story (the entire Beartown trilogy) will stay with me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Animal death, and Gun violence

Moderate: Xenophobia, Drug use, and Alcoholism

lizziaha's review against another edition

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

I worry that I might hold Fredrick Backman to too high of a standard, and that a 4.5 for him might be a 5 for most other authors. The way that he writes is so compelling that it might just outweigh my (limited) critiques. His maelstrom of characters is just a bit overwhelming in this book. It’s realistic, of course, to two little forest towns. But the trajectories of all of these characters doesn’t quite all come to a head. There is no good ending because the characters are so fleshed out that they demand a life story beyond the capacity of the book, and the ending began to feel like a recitation of other book’s summaries; that’s how big these characters are. Because of this, I think the book might’ve been more cohesive if the focus had been narrowed on fewer characters, even if they all still played their roles. But oh! These characters have gotten into my heart. I’ve been thinking a lot about Backman’s flavor of found families. Some found families can become saccharine, but Backman’s are all undercut by something a little darker. There’s a poetic justice to it. After all, humanity is loathe to come together except in times of crisis. But there is so much love in the face of that, and Backman manages to put that into words in a way that it feels less like words and more like a feeling. (and because of that, i’m off to read fanfiction and cry now) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Grief, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Violence, Rape, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Classism, Drug use, Miscarriage, Addiction, Vomit, Self harm, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Bullying, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Child abuse

fireflyhollow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Suicide, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Animal death

jillyfitz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I love Backman's style of writing, he kind of meanders through some really tough topics. If you like his style you'll love this trilogy. He does a great job of humanizing his characters, even those who do terrible things. This book is a great study in the responsibility of individuals, families, and communities in the outcome of major events. He's not afraid to stay in gray areas.

This book is a great conclusion to the trilogy. It was emotional to say goodbye to these characters. No one gets out unscathed and the ending is extremely human. 

The narration was great, Marin Ireland is fantastic throughout the series. She's on my list of must-listen narrators. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide, and Rape

Minor: Physical abuse

thehmkane's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Dammit Backman, you've done it again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Addiction, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Drug use, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Suicide, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Abandonment, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Ableism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Islamophobia, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Miscarriage

chamaeleontis's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I have no words right now. This book is amazing. It’s the perfect ending to the story of Beartown, as much as I did not want that story to end.

It’s delightful. It’s painful. It’s so very very human. It took my heart and stomped on it and gently pieced it back together.

I rate all the books I read too high and I don’t have the patience to fix that. So just know that this one is one of the best I’ve ever read, even if my rating doesn’t reflect that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Fatphobia, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Addiction, Body shaming, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Drug abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Cursing, Drug use, and Gaslighting

baileyes's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Beautiful writing, excellent, intimate story telling, coupled with wonderfully nuanced characters 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Xenophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Child death, Sexual violence, and Gun violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment

kananineko's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Grief, Animal death, Death, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Violence, Sexual violence, Murder, Rape, Drug use, and Cursing

Moderate: Child death, Religious bigotry, Blood, Sexism, Misogyny, Abandonment, Stalking, Pregnancy, Classism, and Fatphobia

Minor: Xenophobia, Racism, Excrement, Homophobia, Suicide, Physical abuse, Car accident, Cancer, Miscarriage, and Child abuse

mrswhiteinthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I'm going to sue Backman for emotional damages 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Stalking, and Alcohol

Moderate: Medical content, Suicide, Sexual violence, Vomit, Sexual assault, Rape, and Alcoholism

Minor: Drug abuse, Vomit, Drug use, and Miscarriage

kaylamoran's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

I'm so disappointed.  I loved Beartown and Us Against You, and this book felt so unnecessary.  First off, it was waaaay too long.  It took forever for anything to happen, and honestly barely anything happened.  It could've been 200 pages shorter and had the same story.
Still broke me at the end though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Medical content, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Classism, Animal death, and Pregnancy

Minor: Xenophobia, Racism, Blood, and Homophobia