Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

62 reviews

elodieslibrary's review against another edition

The writing felt weirdly stilted. There was nothing truly wrong with the book, but every time I would pick it up to read it I felt like I was forcing myself to continue. Eventually I just stopped reading it and honestly felt relieved. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

emikateb's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, Classism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity

crystalsparkles's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Classism, Slavery, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Hate crime, Misogyny, and Abandonment

momloves2read's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring mysterious 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Minor: Violence

elizabeth_juliet's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.75

A beautiful slice of life about the trials and tribulations of a Chinese-American young woman in 1890s Atlanta

Jo Kuan was a wonderfully written character! Formerly a hat maker but laid off because of her race, Jo pseudonymously publishes a column in the local newspaper challenging the fixed Southern ideals about gender and race, while simultaneously working as a maid for a wealthy Atlanta family. 

Unsure about her past, Jo’s journey to discover who her parents are and what their story is gets her tangled up with a notorious criminal  and engulfed in society drama. Stacey Lee weaves a wonderful story about finding one’s roots, challenging stereotypes, and fighting prejudice.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racial slurs and Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicide and Alcohol

booksarecute's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

The perfect YA book. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Racism, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Racial slurs

sadiegenene25's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia

Moderate: Violence and Sexism

januaryghosts's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Misogyny

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Infidelity

ashcad's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Minor: Violence

takeaim's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad 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

You'll find yourself rooting for Jo Kuan, a Chinese-American teen orphan living in 1890s Atlanta. The daily cruelty and injustice of Jo's life is heartbreaking, but she refuses to break. Writing anonymously as Miss Sweetie, a newspaper advice columnist, Jo shakes up the status quo of a society made up of the haves, have-nots and the never-will-haves. The backlash jeopardizes Jo's carefully protected existence, but being Miss Sweetie could also answer her one question: What happened to her parents?

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Hate crime, Classism, and Abandonment