Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

6 reviews

tayreads10's review

funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Oh my gosh I haven't laughed so hard while reading in a long time! I really enjoyed the interactions between Medeline, her mom and 3 aunts. Such a crazy, goofy, over the top story that had me hooked! My mom's best friend since high school immigrated from the Philippines with her family so I grew up with them as my family and felt such a connection to this book in that way. This book lost a star because although she was trying to combat stereotypes and racism, she brought in the stereotype and cruel joke with diabetes and that killed it for me. Not necessary at all. Diabetes is a serious medical condition and is not caused by a can of Coke. Didn't specify type 2 either. Type 1 is autoimmune and has NOTHING to do with consumption of too much sugar. Type 2 is metabolic. UGHHHHH. Not funny. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

gwenswoons's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

I thought this was mostly pretty terrible despite having plenty of memorable and fun characters. The writing felt so repetitive and the sort of mishmash of genres and plots felt so jumbled and clunky. The second-chance love story itself was less painful to me than the rest of it and I think I could have for sure tolerated a simple Nathan and Meddy rom-com! But the murdery cover-up stuff (despite moments of humor with the aunts) is so muddled — we’re supposed to be ok with the fact that they killed this dude because he was a predator? Like, sure, I’m on board for that, but also how are we laughing about that? It’s just like…not funny?? (This aside from the fact that I don’t actually feel like I would read this as a murder to begin with, tasing someone who’s about to assault you?? So like…the entire premise flopped for me?)

Anyway. I found myself wishing the writing and structure of this were much better so I could actually follow up and read more about the characters (many of whom I actually liked on a basic level). But I couldn’t tolerate it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

joisaddler's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Misogyny and Racism

tomasalbanez's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious 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? No

5.0

This book delivered everything it promised and more!! A lovely rom-com with great romance and great comedy, tension and plot twists. It's pace is also perfect! With the tension and speed growing each chapter as much that, by the end, you can't put it down!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Misogyny, Car accident, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Drug use, Racism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Alcohol

amibo's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

2.75

I was really looking forward to this one.  I saw the photo shoot the author did with her real life aunties and thought this was going to be lots of fun. Parts of it were, but I was disappointed.

What was great: Meddy's mom (definitely LOLed at her comments several times), Indo & Chinese relationships & traditions
What was fun: The aunties dialogue
What really, really, did not work for me: The widely fluctuating tone. I was prepared to suspend disbelief - A LOT of disbelief - but most significantly the flashback chapters to Meddy and Nathan's relationship were very straight-up romance, not even romcom, so it was hard to stay in the black humor mode. The tone pendulum made some of the really over-the-top, unbelievable decisions and situations harder to laugh at, rather than cringe about. I think it would have been easier to stay with the crazy flow if the college years' information was shortened, and only the most important information shared in brief flashbacks like later in the story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Car accident

blakethebookeater's review

emotional funny lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Car accident

Minor: Vomit