Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

33 reviews

emzhay's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

I really enjoyed reading this book! I was looking for some lighthearted sci-fi and it definitely delivered. It’s a slice of life type story so there’s no main plot at the forefront, which I personally really enjoyed, but may not be for everyone. 

I did have some issues with how race was portrayed among humans. It seems like the author went with the route of humans all being ambiguously brown (though no one is mentioned as being darker than “tan”) thus ending racism among ourselves since we all look  the same now. It came off as a pretty lazy writing ploy to me given how much the book pushed embracing differences among species.   

And why are we so far into the future and to be fully accepting of neopronouns, but it’s still ”confusing” to use singular they?

or in this case it actually is a plural they. 

It’s great to see neopronouns used so casual, but as  someone who uses they/them pronouns and was told this book had great trans rep, it was really off putting. 

I also really disliked how Ohan’s bodily autonomy was violated with seemingly no consequence. They were cured with zero input on their part and it just gets glossed over

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism and War

bleepbloop's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

A little silly but very fun and great world-building

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality

rosemarygrace1211's review

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Medical content, War, Death, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Animal death, Chronic illness, Classism, Murder, and Xenophobia

temporarilyhuman's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Hate crime, Torture, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, and Death

Moderate: Child death and Chronic illness

Minor: Classism, Slavery, Racism, Drug use, Cursing, War, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Medical content, Body horror, Blood, Genocide, Gore, and Confinement

eleanora's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful relaxing 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail

thereadinghammock's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.5

This book made my little mammal brain think real hard about social dynamics in a way I wasn't expecting. Seeing how such a variety of species and cultures interact, mingle, and function on such a large scale was wonderful and really helped put into perspective how even if you think you're open-minded and unbiased, you are still only a product of your own cultural upbringing and experiences. We all have blind spots and that's ok. What matters is how we deal with those blind spots when we're confronted with them, for better or worse.

The crew of the Wayfarer was an absolute delight to travel with. I absolutely loved Kizzy and Sissix, Dr. Chef was a genuine delight. And everyone they met along the way just added more color to their adventure. 

There were times that I felt the story took a back seat to the interpersonal ship dynamics--like it felt like there should have been more dealings or context with the Toremi Ka, or follow up from that. The story getting to that point was so rich and then the ending almost felt rushed after? I know there are subsequent sequels/follow up books as well, but I kind of wanted more before this one wrapped up. I think I'll enjoy checking back in on the crew of the Wayfarer again, but I'm not running to my library to request the next one, you know?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Racism, Genocide, and Grief

Moderate: Drug use, Terminal illness, Colonisation, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Racial slurs, War, Xenophobia, Genocide, Grief, and Racism

Minor: Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, and Police brutality

sealfeathers's review

slow-paced

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

0.5

What a fucking sugar-coated piece of shit. A preachy, insipid, boring, bloated, claustrophobic, toothless, hypocritical, ableist piece of shit. Lives by the motto of 'why Show when you can Tell in very bad infodumps and condescending monologues'. Newsflash: 'cosy fun space slice of life with loveable characters' requires 'fun' and 'loveable characters', not some turgid, poorly-written, painfully flat cardboard cutouts who are either obnoxious or bland (and the few tolerable characters get traumatised/forcibly converted into it by the end). Don't get me started on how hostile this book is to neurodivergence.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, and Police brutality

it's not 'character driven' bc that implies the characters have depth or agency. there is technically some diversity but it feels very tacked-on and noncommittal.

mandaraffe's review

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing slow-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

5.0

I loved it so much there’s like literally no plot but it’s perfect. If you like spending time in a lovely, imaginative, expansive world with characters that feel like true friends, this book is for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Medical content, Police brutality, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Ableism, Colonisation, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, and Abandonment

Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug use, Genocide, Sexual content, Slavery, and Trafficking

thetainaship's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Racism, Xenophobia, Genocide, and Medical content

Minor: Vomit, War, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

ableist bullying of autistic person justified by narrative; severe disregard of medical consent

blackrabbitrun's review

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

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

4.25

This is a delightful slice of life road movie across the galaxy, with wonderful characters, friendships and worldbuilding, but NOT for those looking for a plot 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness and Police brutality

Minor: Ableism