Reviews tagging 'Deportation'

The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin

20 reviews

dreklogar's review against another edition

dark hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The author says that she originally wanted to write three books, and I could really feel that in the pacing. There were a fair amount of elements that I would have loved to see explored more in depth, so I am hoping that a lot of fanfiction comes out of the series!

Otherwise, the book was honestly horrifying at times. Things that happen to the characters just feel very real in a way that has little to do with the setting, and the fact that it's often magic that saves them creates an uncomfortable feeling of "What if this happens to me in the real world?". Overall, Jemisin's work usually leaves me pumped up to improve a flawed, but salvageable world, but this one mostly made me feel sad and despondent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Deportation

quarkie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense 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

Gosh, reading this book reminded me why the previous one was also a 5 star read. Jemisin's writing is pure poetry. It has this amazing lyrical flow to it, such that it is easy to get lost in. I read this book in 2 days. It was amazing.

What I liked: Each character has such a strong point of view, and is so multi-dimensional. They feel so effortlessly real. Jemisin puts them in so many (terrible, awful, amazing, beautiful, human) true-to-life situations, and they respond in a way that feels both real and true to their characters. I feel like I know each character - not that I know a specific individual that is just like them, but they serve as true avatars of not only their boroughs but for their populations. So many of the thought processes and comments that characters make are so relatable, and I see them played out daily. Nothing in the book "just happens" - everything has a cause as well as an effect. The storylines are tight and pacing is great. And I just can't get over how beautifully written it was.

What I didn't like: I think my only complaint was that while some of the pop and political cultural references feel fresh now (in 2024), but I'm not sure how well some of them will age.

Concepts that will stick with me: In a way, this book personifies racism, xenophobia, and gentrification by turning it into a singular entity that can be taken on and beaten. This is a comforting thought. It explores the concept of "personality gentrification", or as I came to think of it, gentrification of the soul. It also deals with what happens what the gentrifier meets with gentrification. It also shows how someone can be seen as "nice" by one set of people (and actually be genuinely nice to them), but also participate in oppressive structures that hurt everyone, including the people they are nice to. It's a haunting exploration of the fragility of xenophobes (especially the well-meaning ones), and the mental and emotional work people have to put in to deal with that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation and Cursing

Moderate: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Homophobia, Murder, Racism, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Transphobia, Colonisation, and Violence

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Mass/school shootings, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, and Death

brynalexa's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense 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? No

4.0

Similar to the The City We Became in that it was slow to start even though I was invested in the characters. I was getting worried toward the end that it was going to end in a marvel-like battle scene at the end which it did not and took a lovely turn. Very interesting concept and world that was very well researched. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide and Deportation

Minor: Blood, Homophobia, Violence, Hate crime, Police brutality, Stalking, Cursing, Abandonment, Racism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and War

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

4.0

This was very fun and well paced. Really loved listening to the audiobook version because the narrator breaths a lot of life into the unique voices of each POV. 

I get that a lot may have changed for the original plan for this sequel because of the pandemic and politics IRL, but I’m glad we got the book at all. I also liked the interview in my version of the book with the author about how COVID influenced the writing of the books, as well as it’s contents. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Deportation

bookiecharm's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation, Police brutality, Racism, Transphobia, Classism, and Violence

trayslays's review

adventurous reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia

Moderate: Body horror and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Deportation and Transphobia

stormeno's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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

Moderate: Cursing, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Deportation, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Xenophobia, and Mass/school shootings

rainbowyeticorn's review

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This is the third book of the series. The first is a short story, which the following two books including this one being full length novels.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Racism, Mass/school shootings, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Confinement, and Bullying

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Colonisation, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Ableism

I really loved this series so much. The narrator does such a fabulous job bringing all the characters to life. I highly recommend reading the audiobook version over the print version or maybe reading and listening to both at the same time because in my opinion this is the best way to experience this fabulous book!

therainbowshelf's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective tense 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

4.75

A super fun conclusion to this epic story! I'll miss meeting all of the city avatars and watching New York fight an otherworldly entity that weaponizes hate, political unrest, and corporate stores. I feel like I wanted a little more from the ending than this whole Digimon-esque wrapup, but was not deebly disappointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Police brutality, Racism, Transphobia, Gun violence, Deportation, Xenophobia, and Classism

thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition

5.0

okay, wow. Didn't think this series could get any better, but yeah. I loved this so much.

You can't just bring up BEYONCE and then not address that again?? Or was I reading too fast and missed it?

Also, Manny's family KNEW about Cities?? AAAHHH.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Gun violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, Deportation, and Police brutality

Minor: Death