Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey

35 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

stacy837's review

Way too homophobic to be enjoyable 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

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

apersonfromflorida's review

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Hate crime

hue's review against another edition

2.5

It was perfectly fine I just didn't really care about the characters at all, I guess. The multiple POV was nice though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

myqueerbookshelf's review

emotional informative inspiring fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Animal death

abbie_'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.0

It’s been ages since I read a book told entirely in different POVs! With the exception of one who we hear from twice, we only get a chapter with each of the characters in Under the Rainbow, a snapshot of life in Big Burr, the most homophobic town in America, told from multiple perspectives. Strangely for me, I found the chapters from the younger characters the most compelling. A few of the adults felt interchangeable, and I also felt like Laskey’s writing excelled more when she was writing from a queer POV. The chapters where she narrates from one of the homophobic residents didn’t feel as effective, though I understand why she wanted to include them.

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The concept is this - a taskforce of queer folk from Acceptance Across America is sent to the most homophobic town in the US to try to make change. I appreciated that it wasn’t all twee and everyone became great pals by the end of it, because that’s unfortunately not how life works. The change is incremental, the task force members grow frustrated, come up against countless walls and residents unwilling to change their outdated mindsets. But the last chapter did make me happy - a reminder that even if you feel like you’re getting nowhere, standing up for what’s right can help even one person live the life meant for them.

.

Engaging - a good one to pick up if you’re feeling slumpy!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Car accident, Hate crime, and Lesbophobia

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