Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey

14 reviews

seventhswan's review

emotional hopeful sad fast-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

2.25

I found this book strange, and ultimately not for me, but that's not to say it's badly written. In fact, I thought the writing was really solid and very clearly illustrated a world I have almost no idea about. My big problem with the book was that it tried to fit so much in - it was SO melodramatic, like a soap opera, but with none of the lighthearted vibe that makes soap operas work. Perhaps this really is what small towns in Kansas are like, but I struggled to believe it (though maybe that's just me being naive!). I also found the sexual content to be weirdly... off? I'm not a prude about sex in fiction but something about it really didn't work for me. 

I did enjoy the varied cast of characters but I wish we would have got to spend more time with a few of them, rather than a small snapshot of several. So much more could have been done with, for example, Avery

adjusting to life as a wheelchair user

or David and Miguel's relationship. I also thought that the book was falsely advertised - from the blurb I was expecting a lighthearted comedy-drama, but what I got was a lot of graphic descriptions of hate crimes and only a partial HEA. The structure of the book was more like a collection of related/overlapping short stories than one narrative with a cohesive plot. 

Laskey is a talented writer and I'd give another of her books a go! It's a shame this story didn't work for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Transphobia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Sexual content

Minor: Ableism, Abortion, Child death, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, and Racism

lucyatoz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

Under the Rainbow is the second book I have finished for the 52 Book Club 2024 Reading Challenge.

When a task force of queer activists from Acceptance Across America move to live in Big Burr, Kansas, for two years, it causes a ripple, and the beginnings of a study in cause and effect in a small town labelled "the most homophobic town in America". Almost everyone in the community do not want them there, apart from Linda, who welcomes them for her own reasons. 

The story is told through the eyes of a series of narrators, both residents of Big Burr and those from the task force, over the two year period, with snippets telling of raised tensions, new friendships and relationships beginning and ending, questioning their own and others identities and reconsidering what the true meaning is of community.

I borrowed this book from Taunton Library and listened to the audiobook on BorrowBox. I read this for prompt 7, at least 4 different points of view, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Bullying, and Homophobia

Moderate: Animal death, Car accident, Cursing, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Suicidal thoughts

howeonearth's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual assault

Moderate: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts

emg25's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective 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

Devoured in 24 hours. I thought the different perspectives were going to be a turn off, but seeing how different people moved through the same setting was really incredible. Highly suggest. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Bullying, Homophobia, and Emotional abuse

gellyreads's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Racism, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Deadnaming, Bullying, Blood, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Grief, Sexism, Car accident, Misogyny, Medical content, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Death, and Cursing

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

 Under the Rainbow is the story of what happens when a group of LGBTIQA+ activists move into the most homophobic town in America and try to bring about change. It unfolds over two years from the perspectives of 11 different characters, some activists, some townsfolk adamantly opposed to their work, and some in the middle . I enjoyed the range of perspectives but this meant the book provided breadth not depth and didn’t really offer anything new or insightful. Entertainment rather than educational unless you are a straight reader just beginning to explore LGBTIQA+ issues via literature. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, Lesbophobia, and Transphobia

Moderate: Car accident and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Animal death

stacy_85's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Bullying, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

amy__'s review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Hate crime, Car accident, Bullying, and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit, and Child death

lilymurph's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, Car accident, Physical abuse, Homophobia, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Animal death, and Suicide attempt

travelseatsreads's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Under the Rainbow tells the story of small minded small town Big Bur and the events that unfold when the LGBTQ+ activist task force, Acceptance Across America (AAA), arrive in an attempt to broaden the minds of those around them. 

The book is based on a collection of interconnected stories told from a series of points of views of the residents of Big Bur and the members of AAA. As each story unfolds it is clear to see that the AAA have a huge uphill battle on their hands as there is a large amount of deep rooted bigotry in parochial Big Bur. Slowly, one by one we are left into the minds and lives of those who call Big Bur home, both existing and new residents and we begin to see they all have a lot more in common than they would like to think.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the staunch Big Bur heads against the free thinking taskforce and found it showed a lot of the harmful stereotypes that exist. The book is full of a multitude of flippant comments such as "too pretty to be lesbians", "at least it's not two men" and "but you look like a nice girl" and I think they're thrown about deliberately to make the reader realise just how easily these type of comments are thrown about in everyday society. 

The book isn't without flaws there's one particular chapter which is literally your stereotypical male fantasy of two lesbians detailed which seemed pretty gratuitous.

Books like these I think are a great starting point for conversations and to get different groups of people talking, especially those who are a little bit more reluctant to read books on the topic of the LGBTQ+ community.

I switched between the book and the audiobook and both worked perfectly. The audiobook is absolutely fantastic with a full cast for each of the characters and it really brings the flaws of some of the characters to life.

A really enjoyable look at small town views and how sometimes with work they can be changed for the better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Outing, and Transphobia

Moderate: Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Death, and Grief