Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

37 reviews

rabidmerk's review

mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Homophobia, Body horror, and Sexism

readingpicnic's review against another edition

3.75

This book kept me guessing the whole time, and I enjoyed being surprised by each new twist and turn that revealed itself as the story went on. I will say that this book was very slow for me to get through, which I think really slowed me down for the TRR unfortunately, and I considered DNFing it at certain points. It starts off really intense and then slows almost all the way down before picking back up around 70% through. However, I really enjoyed the ending of the book, so I'm glad I stuck through it ultimately. The bee horror in this book felt so creative and new, and I loved the drippy, rotten, and sweet imagery throughout. The depictions of grief were very real in this book and became all the more real after reading the author's acknowledgements section at the end. I appreciated how Caroline remained a presence throughout the whole story, even if just in the peripheral. I think that this book would make an excellent A24 horror movie honestly, going off of the trend on BookTok, as this book felt so cinematic and I could picture so much of it in my head. It reminded me a lot of both Wickerman movies, the original with its slow-paced disconcerting vibes and horror, and the remake with its bee horror. I was also reminded of Bunny a lot while reading this with the group of Honey girls, but I think this specific story hasn't been told before even though it reminded me of other horror. Overall, I enjoyed this and its explorations of gender, sexuality, and class. I think this story has so many layers to it and I wasn't necessarily patient at times with this slow method of storytelling, but I understand why it's well loved.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Deadnaming, Grief, Bullying, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Gore, Death, Transphobia, Homophobia, Blood, Murder, and Body horror

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, and Classism

erica_reads_things's review

adventurous mysterious 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? No

3.0

Not a bad YA read at all! And especially for this authors first novel. I liked the weird spin on the summer camp horror trope, but I was so confused most of the way through at where exactly this was going. It took me out of it a bit, but not enough to not enjoy it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Grief, Child death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Sexism, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Transphobia, Cancer, Hate crime, and Violence

Minor: Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Deadnaming, and Sexual content

readingqueerly's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Y'all this was so good and scary and I couldn't stop reading but I also kept going to bed wide eyed and breathing hard thinking something would get me in the night. It was so weird and every but it was so incredibly intriguing trying to understand what was going on and throughout the book the author does such a good job of luring you into a false sense of security along with the main character. But when you finally learn what's going on like AHHH dig its nasty little stinger in my and didn't let go (HA That will make sense if you read it).
In addition, the main character is non-binary and gender fluid and the way they were being treated was very relatable. 
"I'm openly out and telling you I use all pronouns" 
"ok cool I will only call you by your pronouns that fit your agab"
This was such a good book and I truly truly can recommend it. And the podcast of this author as well which is how I found them. Listen to Bad Author Book Club y'all. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Body horror, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Death, Violence, Transphobia, and Sexism

moonyreadsbystarlight's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Grief, Blood, Death, Bullying, Sexism, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Murder, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Transphobia, Cancer, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual assault and Cannibalism

20sidedbi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Murder, Body horror, Sexism, Gaslighting, Blood, Homophobia, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Bullying

Moderate: Sexual assault and Death of parent

itsheyfay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Murder, Body horror, Grief, Gore, Blood, Misogyny, Violence, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Abandonment, Classism, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Bullying, Gaslighting, and Homophobia

Minor: Cancer, Ableism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

ripxw's review

dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Transphobia, and Homophobia

savvypotions's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Sexism, Death, Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Misogyny

caughtbetweenpages's review

dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

The vibes of this book were simply to die for. Mars is a protagonist I can't help but love (not that I'd want to do anything else; she's fantastic). His grief over the loss of his sister and only ally in a household where perfection is the bare minimum standard and queerness does not meet the "perfect" bar would be enough to make anyone sympathize with Mars, but the fact that her death happened at his hands... in self defense because she was trying to kill Mars in the first place? Gut wrenching. And that's just the opening scene, folks! 

La Sala took me on an absolute journey with this story, one of seeking community amongst those who rejected you, even as you resent them for their closemindedness and hatred, because part of you is inexplicably drawn by the idea of fitting in to a specific subset of this community. It was really important to me that Mars never questioned their own identity as a genderqueer person, that of all the mysteries they set out to solve about why their sister died, their own personhood was not one of the big twists of gotchas. His distrust of the Honeys at the start of the novel, at what they seem to represent (mean-girl attitudes, standoffishness and gatekeeping, a sinister collective at a remove from everyone else) shifts

into an exhalation and celebration of the feminine, profound community and welcome, and so so so much power that was always Mars's by right 

when they let themself find comfort in people who loved their sister too... but perhaps not in the way that Mars themself did. Or perhaps exactly in that way? Or perhaps in a different, but no less profound way, but one that Mars gains access to by seeking it out. 

And then! The commentary on misogyny, classism, the exploitation and decay inherent to capitalism! The mindfuckery and self-gaslighting and other-people-gaslighting! The body horror! The messy relationships! The claiming of power! The BEES <3 !!!! I don't want to say any more, for fear of spoiling things. Was the pacing just right for all the story elements? Maybe not. Maybe the end felt a little too fast. But doesn't that just match how it feels to be a teenager and become disillusioned with literally everything? I posit it does! 

Maybe the story isn't perfect. But damn, the vibes, the vibes, the vibes. Those are perfect, for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, and Transphobia

Moderate: Rape