Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

12 reviews

sonygaystation's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, Blood, Body horror, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Alcohol, and Medical content

Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Vomit, Gore, Xenophobia, War, Body shaming, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Death, and Confinement

Minor: Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, and Child death

tieflingmom's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, War, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Colonisation

gellyreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

2.0

I feel like this book is just an absolute mess.

She’s abused and forgives him too quickly.

The romance is paper thin. The fantasy and time travel elements were the most interesting, but it’s not really the point.

Why couldn’t we see more of the “witches?”

I don’t get it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, War, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Abandonment, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy, Abortion, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Infidelity, and Infertility

Minor: Pedophilia

elizlizabeth's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

3.0

I enjoyed the first half of the book but by the end it honestly felt like the plot was there only to justify the smut. Jamie was my favorite character but by the end he had lost all semblance of personality and coherency in favor of whatever the plot or Claire's own arch required. Claire herself was very annoying and unlikable to me, but her actions and personality made sense for the plot so it's not really a critique and more of a lack of affinity on my part.
Gabaldon is a very good writer and I truly enjoyed the historical fantasy part of this. Not sure if I'd read the rest of the series after that infamous dungeon scene tho. Definitely read and heed the warnings on this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Blood, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Torture, Rape, Ableism, Animal death, Homophobia, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abortion, Infidelity, and Xenophobia

water_violin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Definitely an interesting story, but clearly had been published in the 90s, given the portrayal of the only gay characters as predatory and sadistic. The portrayal of Romani travelers was also somewhat problematic to a modern eye, but at least they were not shown to be monolithically negative. I was personally not a fan of how the main relationship developed, as both of the characters were in turns somewhat emotionally manipulative or abusive, but it does make sense with the setting and characterization. Overall, some very unpleasant themes, but an interesting storyline. I’m curious to see how the rest of the books progress and whether there are any more diverse portrayals of queer or non-white characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Medical content, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Rape, Gore, Sexism, Violence, Kidnapping, War, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical trauma, and Mental illness

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Infertility, Drug use, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Vomit, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Racism

Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, and Classism

irinalast's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Infertility, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia

skeptic_hecate's review

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

 Entertaining enough, could do without the brutallity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Homophobia and Xenophobia

emfass's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A very slow delicious reread. My friend who originally recommended the series to me highly recommended the audiobooks as well, and I am SO glad I finally tried them. Davina Porter is absolutely exquisite. 

I've watched the TV show and read the books through A Breath of Snow and Ashes, but this was my first time rereading, and I absolutely loved revisiting the story, how Jamie and Claire started out and forged their relationship, plus all the small hints Diana drops about all of the events to come.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Vomit, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

confusedmuse's review

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

DNF about halfway through after this:

It's totally okay to beat your wife so long as it's because you rescued her from the evil homosexual who raped your sister and caused you, personally, such distress that you can't see her again. You can make it up to your wife by telling her about that time you almost wet yourself in public. That's definitely the worst thing that's ever happened to you, not that time that the evil homosexual nearly beat you to death in front of your dad, which caused him to have a stroke and die on the spot. This is all totally fine, especially since you ended up enjoying beating your wife and promised not to do it again.

For years I'd heard that this story is a fun, feminist, time-travel romance. Actually reading it made my head spin. Are y'all okay? Like, no shade, enjoy what you enjoy, but I'm amazed that a lot of the discussion I’ve seen around recommending the book is more “teehee, I love the romance, you gotta read it” and not “hey, the main character is threatened with rape several times throughout the book, just be aware if that’s not your cup of tea.” And that’s not even getting into the surprise

evil gay stereotype

villain. He was already evil enough, this story didn’t need to throw in

homophobia

on top of everything else. “Historical Accuracy” is an excuse that can only carry so far. Clearly I went into this with the wrong expectations, and maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I'd read a few more detailed reviews before going in, but because I was blindsided by all this, I did not have a fun time. Two stars because the writing itself is very good, and the author did craft believable characters and an interesting setting, but everything else… yikes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Ableism, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, and Xenophobia

nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

2.75

Finally reunited with her husband Frank after seven long years of war, Claire Beauchamp Randall is thrilled for their reunion-moon in the Scottish Highlands, despite Frank's genealogy obsession that takes up much of their time together. She loves the time outdoors in the peaceful countryside, fascinated by the medical herbs she finds at the henge at Craigh na Dun, where Frank insisted they watch a witching ritual. When Claire returns on her own, she falls through the stones and winds up in the very same Highlands, three centuries earlier. 

Upon arrival, Claire is scooped up by a tribe of Highlanders who save her from Black Jack Randall--interestingly, Frank's distant ancestor--though her accent, name, and knowledge (and lack thereof) confounds them. Suspicious that she may be a spy, they capture her, take her to their base, and adopt her as a sort of medic until they finally force her to marry Jamie Fraser in some confusing ceremony to protect them all from Black Jack, as well as to distance Jamie from a tribal inheritance.

From there, Frank might as well never have existed; in fact, Frank doesn't yet exist, but Claire seems to have no memory or regret regarding her husband as she moves on to this new relationship, which is replete with constant threats of rape and death to both parties. Both Claire and Jamie are arrested, Claire for suspected witchcraft, while Jamie is convicted of crimes committed by Black Jack himself, and with the cooperation of the band of Highlanders, they each manage to save the other, though in Jamie's case, only after horrific trauma (described in painful detail). 

This book was so much longer than necessary. Gabaldon did a tremendous amount of research, evident not least in the Highlands vocabulary and vernacular sprinkled on every page. However, there were pages and pages of detail that didn't move the plot along or develop the characters significantly. Furthermore, the depictions of rape, abuse, and unhealthy relationships were graphic and moved past far too easily. 

The story is somewhat compelling, but this was definitely a "should" read rather than something I was excited about, and it just wasn't for me.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Biphobia, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture

Minor: Xenophobia