Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

48 reviews

staceyjunemsw's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad tense fast-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

This is such a sad book - beautifully written but a tragic truth to be acknowledged.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

yepstillgarbage's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Trafficking

Moderate: Torture and Murder

rebcamuse's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Set against the backdrop of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Four Treasures of the Sky is a heartbreaking story of Daiyu, a young Chinese girl who longs to be a calligraphist, but who encounters the worst of humanity, very far from home. There are moments of extreme beauty, particularly when Daiyu calls upon the lessons of calligraphy to face obstacles: "The inkstone asks for destruction before creation--you must first destroy yourself, grind yourself into a paste, before becoming a work of art." (307) Zhang illuminates Daiyu's "coming of age" within a tragedy, but the saving grace is Daiyu's own growth as a person. It is an important narrative that reflects the experience of far too many Chinese immigrants in the United States, and unearths a history that has been too often squelched.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Xenophobia, and Sexual violence

unicornbanzaiiking's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? No

4.5

Holy moly this was such a hard read but the language used...it was so beautifully written. I cried as much from the story as much as from the writing. I appreciate the author telling this story and bringing more light and attention to this forgotten period of our history and people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Xenophobia, Racism, and Rape

martinjen98's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Grief, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Sexism, Racial slurs, Murder, Bullying, Racism, Dysphoria, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Hate crime, Death, and Child abuse

shivvers91's review against another edition

dark emotional sad

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping

swen20's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

As someone who didn’t know much about the Chinese Exclusion Act, this book was informative and impactful. A tough read but something I will be recommending to everyone I know.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Racism, and Violence

fkshg8465's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

Beautifully written, a story that needed to be told. Will be gifting a copy to my niece. Worth reading through how the author decided to write this story. Historical fiction that probably happened to many Chinese women and Chinese citizens. Need to acknowledge it of part of US history too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Torture, Violence, Slavery, Police brutality, Murder, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Grief, and Confinement

softbun's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexism, Gun violence, Death, Kidnapping, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Trafficking, and Excrement

Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Alcohol, and Torture

Minor: Body shaming, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

plyn's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Violence