Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

O Castelo No Ar by Diana Wynne Jones

5 reviews

vi_frt's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

Strong points: humorous and whimsical, engaging enough
Weaknesses: some parts of it are problematic, specifically the descriptions of the initial arabic-like setting and some recurrent fatphonia that had me cringing. 
It does not match its predecessor but it is still a fun read, if you can look past the problematic bits and also how much of a giant dummy Abdullah is. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fatphobia

Minor: Animal cruelty

dokushoka's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia

Moderate: Classism and Sexism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

pocketspoon's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

The author clearly had fun turning arabian-nights-like tales on their heads a bit, and it is definitely fun and clever in some ways. However, there is a lot here that is really problematic, not least of all the general and persistent misogyny of the main character. I'm afraid that learning to love one smart, capable woman doesn't make him not sexist.

In the very last pages he is giving away his (previously extensively fat-shamed) relatives as chattel to the villain. But it's okay, because he's handsome and actually wants them because they're not uncooperative like the kidnapped princesses, so they're into it?! 
I also find it annoying that the Howl's Moving Castle characters all have babies in this book, as if that's the only possible progression of a young woman's life/story.

You could explain some of this away as "satire, not endorsement" but this is a kids' book, and kids don't get sattire; they're going to see women being constantly compared to each other (and generally criticized and found wanting) by the male protagonist, who is pretty unlikeable and shitty, but is still somehow the hero of the story.

He rides in and attaches himself to the escape plan the princesses were already working on, and then one of them has to agree to marry a slimeball just so he won't eat them out, and the men get all the credit for the rescue.

And a bunch of other toxic stuff.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Confinement, Sexism, Kidnapping, and Misogyny

Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia

Minor: Animal cruelty, Slavery, and War

digni's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-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? No

4.0

A very very enjoyable book to read overall. There were moments that did irk me. But it was very entertaining and I did enjoy it a lot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia and Misogyny

Minor: Animal cruelty

poirot's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Kidnapping, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty and Physical abuse