Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

L'Incivilité des fantômes by Rivers Solomon

168 reviews

nixkelley's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Rape, Dysphoria, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Confinement, Homophobia, and Medical trauma

bucketsjen's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Antebellum South, but on a spaceship in the distant future. The story centers around a autistic black woman named Aster, who struggles to deal with the unfair and nonsensical way society operates - and the secrets that she learns about the ship only amplify that until events reach a boiling point. It's not a subtle comparison to real history and real life. It's heavy, although it's managed deftly. There's a blend of things working in old ways and in futuristic ways which is very well done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, Homophobia, and Violence

ominousspectre's review against another edition

3.0

Okay Bri, I see why you did not vibe with this one. As an author writing about their own oppression, I think it you have to walk a fine line or you can end up alienating the people in your audience that bleed with you.

I love Rivers. The Deep and Sorrowland are both very dear to me in different ways. All of their style and intriguing ideas are here, but I think this would have been better as a novella? It felt endlessly long while also feeling like very little happens until the end. I did love the ending, and am obviously still a rabid follower of what this author will do next, but this debut just wasn't for me!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Transphobia, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

wishbea's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Racism, Suicide, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Torture, and Rape

Moderate: Sexism, Homophobia, and Child abuse

benjspriggs's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Ableism, Death, Classism, Cursing, Gun violence, Abandonment, Bullying, Misogyny, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Self harm

Moderate: Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Rape, Dysphoria, Suicide, Blood, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

laynazaubinde's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, and Police brutality

hazelwood's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

An absolute masterpiece. Octavia Butler would have loved this, I think. The characters are so so realistic! The neurodivergent representation! The gender nonconformity! The aspec representation! The dissection of power and trauma and grief! Not to mention the beautiful use of language and intensely detailed worldbuilding! I am gathering up Aster and Theo and Giselle and Ainy and Pippi and Mabel and Flick and Lune and I am forever holding them close to my heart where they can be safe. I only wish for another book, or an afterword, or something so I can know if it all turned out okay!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Vomit, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Slavery, Confinement, Excrement, Gore, Sexual assault, Cursing, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence

stripes_and_naps's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

This book was intense, but overall a very good read. I felt like the author did a great job building the world and the characters, so much so that I found myself wishing there was a sequel. I would definitely recommend this book to others, though with a strong caution to review the trigger warnings and be prepared for graphic content. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Body horror, Racism, Lesbophobia, Murder, Rape, Abortion, Blood, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Classism, Colonisation, Homophobia, Torture, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Police brutality, Self harm, Violence, Toxic friendship, Slavery, and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty

madzie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

Wow! I am not a fan of sci-fi or dystopian fiction, but this one is so good! Solomon really creates vivid and unique characters that you feel so connected to. They do such a great job of exploring the big ideas and themes they present, with wonderful ideas about how humans interact with the world and society. Sometimes moments can get lost through a jumble, but overall, this book is highly unique and just plain good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Religious bigotry, Classism, Mental illness, Homophobia, Confinement, Medical content, Slavery, Violence, Suicide, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Transphobia

sproutedpages's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

Worldbuilding effortlessly woven into the narrative. At times, a painfully accurate reflection of my own experience navigating the world as a neurodivergent person. The only “shortcoming” was that some of the alternate POVs did not feel as fully realized as Aster’s POV.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence