Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

16 reviews

forgottenwitch's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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

5.0

By and large I absolutely loved this book! Tipping the Velvet was advertised to me as a lesbian cult classic from 1998, and honestly, what more could you ask for? Between the evocative writing, the victorian setting, and the heavy focus on gender roles, betrayal, lust, and love I was hooked from beginning to end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Classism, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Racism

bdingz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.75

This is my first book by Sarah Waters and I don’t think it will be the last. I sometimes struggle with historical fiction featuring queer characters because I always have this sense they must be doomed somehow, but this story depicts joy as much as ut does despair. Some parts dragged a little, in my opinion, but it was almost autobiographical in style so I understand why it was as long and detailed as it was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Minor: Infidelity, Violence, Racism, and Racial slurs

A character used the n-word on one occasion in the third part of the book.

juliastern__'s review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted sad 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: Homophobia, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Death, Toxic friendship, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Sexism

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

outerscout's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

if therapy were both around & helpful in the 1890s i'd say nancy needs it. a beautiful story with a beautiful, hopeful ending

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Confinement

Moderate: Transphobia, Racism, Abandonment, and Racial slurs

marleywrites's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This review will contain spoilers. 

“Tipping the Velvet” covers a span of about eight years in the life of Nancy Astley, from age 18-25. Nancy essentially has her gay awakening in her small hometown where she helps prepare oysters when a musical act of Miss Kitty Butler arrives at the theater. The two eventually grow closer and their relationship blooms, plateaus, and falls. The rest of the novel follows the aftermath of everything, and how Nancy moves on from it all. 

I found this novel to be extremely impressive. I was engaged from the start— the prose is beautiful and visceral, and the author painted a realistic picture of Nancy’s perspective throughout this novel. Nancy’s emotions are strong and intense, and we see the range of feelings she experiences in exquisite detail. 

I found Nancy’s story fascinating. Her character was well-developed and we saw her grow throughout the novel in a fascinating and treacherous way. Nancy has been through a lot— and in a way, she’s quite privileged through some of situations she finds herself in. However she is simultaneously a survivor of multiple questionable sexual situations with a partner who has a significant powerful advantage over he, she is a renter, she loses everything all at once. 

What I found most intriguing was the emotional changes that Nancy experiences throughout the story. The shift from Kitty being the only thing that can save her, to realizing she doesn’t need her at all anymore, is one that I think anyone who’s had a first love and first heartbreak can relate to. The emotional distance she holds herself at with Diana, with Zena, and with Florence (at first) protects her, but also hurts her. I enjoyed watching the slow but steady shift as she learned to trust and love again, and to recognize it as something steadier, and to learn what it means to have a partner who is proud to be yours. 

The writing style of this author has captured me completely— when I finished this novel I immediately went and added all the rest of her work to my TBR. This was a stunning debut and I can’t wait to read the backlist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Infidelity

Moderate: Death, Violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Cursing, Drug use, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Blood, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Outing

Minor: Miscarriage and Racism

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Lesbophobia, Classism, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Cultural appropriation, Death, Alcohol, Sexism, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Trafficking, Dysphoria, Racial slurs, Confinement, Racism, and Suicide

Minor: Child death, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and Miscarriage

gaycornbread420's review

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Alcohol, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Racism, Confinement, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Physical abuse

camelliagwerm's review against another edition

dark lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

Would have loved to have given it 4 stars but have to knock off a .5 because some of the pacing in part two was honestly atrocious and put me into a minor reading slump.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

Minor: Racism

arsenic_'s review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Minor: Sexual assault

bronzeageholly's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Homophobia

Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship

Minor: Racism and Misogyny