Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Exiles

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

11 reviews

jenxreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

This historical novel was inspirational and brutal. The storytelling captivates you from beginning to end. The journey of these characters was difficult to read through. I loved this book because it tells the untold stories of those often neglected in society. I definitely recommend this audiobook if you enjoy inspirational and historical narratives.

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gkm00's review against another edition

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4.0

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hannahgjenson's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative sad medium-paced

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

3.0

I will cheer for any story where a rapist is murdered and a shitty dad gets yelled at by his strong willed daughter!

I was wary of this book heading into it given that I typically am not a fan of historical fiction set before the 1920s ish. I can't really get over all the "ye's" and the truly brazen systemic subjugation of anyone who is not a white straight main. Not to say it's not accurate to the time period, but I don't find that those characteristics make an enjoyable read for me typically. However, learning about the convict transport system and the conditions specifically female prisoners were subjected to at the time kept me interested through the novel.

Hazel was probably my favorite character and is really the only main character who goes through a significant amount of growth, and I really enjoyed (and was heartbroken by at other times) her and Ruby's relationship. I found Mathinna's story really sad but also compelling; I can't even imagine the mental turmoil and confusion that she goes through as a result of the colonization of her people and subsequent confinement to the governor's house.

However, it left a bad taste in my mouth how she got such a nondescript and depressing ending. Again, I know that's likely what would have happened in reality to poor Mathinna, but

I take issue with how much care and thought was put into the white characters’ endings versus Mathinna's.

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ruffian23's review against another edition

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challenging informative sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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nimeneth's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I'm the minority here but nothing really... Happens. There's a lot of misery, but it's all told, not shown. The writing style is very much "this happened then this happened then this happened" and while there is dialogue and some small bits of introspection, everything felt a bit flat. The "twists" were all fairly predictable. I also had a bit of a problem with each of the endings for the women. Hazel and Ruby's endings were too neat and tidy, Evangeline's was too drawn out, and Mathinna didn't really get one. I'm left feeling unsatisfied with all of them.

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cepbreed's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional informative 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

Good on me for finishing our test run book club book! But waiting for everyone else to be done and for my friend to return from abroad is torture. I feel the need to discuss this book in detail for hours with a side of charcuterie ASAP.

From the bottom of my heart, I love the overall message of this novel to pass kindness forward. A simple act of kindness can change someone's life entirely and there is so much beauty in that. Evangeline wasn't treated kindly (without underlying bad intentions) for a second when she was working as a governess yet she maintained her character and was able to aid both Olive and Hazel. They in turn passed that kindness forward and impacted the lives of others. Kindness is vital to the human condition, but one of my favorite moments in the story was someone refusing a kind offer.

When Hazel reunited with Mathinna she extended a hand once more and offered to shelter her in Dr. Dunne's home, but Mathinna refused. Hazel showed her so much kindness in the past but no matter what if Mathinna had accepted she still would’ve been in her care and indebted to a white woman. I appreciate Christina Baker Kline truly allowing her to be free after so many years of being at the whims of white people.

Hazel became a quick favorite of mine once she was introduced. There are so many things about her character to love, but one facet of her backstory has been stuck in my brain. I love how the thing she stole, which resulted in her imprisonment and transportation, was literally a silver spoon. She was a child, shunned by her own mother, and the straw she was forced to grasp at was the exact concept of a comfortable and struggle-free life. She could've been happy, even in poverty, if her mother was loving, but instead, she got a woman who threw her into the streets both literally and metaphorically forcing her to vy for a silver spoon which could never be hers anyway.

Dr. Dunne really crept up on me as a character and I ended up loving him. Originally I was wary of him. Who could blame me? The poor protagonists were betrayed and wronged by so many people in their lives I was instinctually distrustful of the conveniently kind doctor, but I was pleasantly surprised to see myself be wrong. I LOVE that man!!!

To be so real, for a minute there I thought he was going to fall for Evangeline, BUT THEN SHE FUCKING DIED??? I NEED TO DISCUSS THAT TWIST WITH MY FELLOW BOOK CLUB MEMBERS BUT I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE END OF THE MONTH.

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