Reviews

The Free People's Village by Sim Kern

holt99's review

5.0

Hi! I just wanted to say your book had a profound impact on me--it's one of those books that you think about long after you've finished it, and in my case it's been days and I cannot stop thinking about so many aspects of the book. The fungi metaphor at the end, the scary parallels of what we are facing right now in Gaza, the characters and their very human complexities (esp Red's), and overall your story telling. Honestly, thank you. Thank you for writing it, for existing, for putting pen to paper to write something that is along the lines of what 1984 was to my childhood and shaping of my worldview. I'm so glad I found you through TikTok and Instagram recently because if Gaza and I wanted to support you because I think you are so smart but now I also found my favorite book of 2023!! Thank you

queerpossible's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring 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

5.0

robean_hwallace's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

searobin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

This was really really good. I couldn't put it down, and so much resonated. It did tell rather than show a lot, but I'm going to forgive that this time, because it felt authentic to the journal style of writing. 

thewolfy's review

adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring 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

yesthattom's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

getlitwithamy_'s review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

this book takes place in an alternate 2020 where al gore was president instead of gwb. there was a “war on climate” instead of the war on terror, and the country became greenwashed while the poor, marginalized, predominantly PoC communities stayed in harsh material conditions. a popular home/community called “the lab” is under potential threat of being torn down, along with other neighboring buildings, so a new hyperway (highways) can be made to further gentrify the slowly gentrifying neighborhood 

this is a very interesting book so far since the protagonist is a femme white woman teaching at an all Black school and unknowingly contributing to gentrification. she slowly goes through a political awakening and wants to use her privilege to fight with the free people’s village 

there’s another character with neo-pronouns, which i’ve never read in fiction before!! the character who goes by Red used xe/xim/zir pronouns 

it’s not my favorite book but it’s also not my least favorite. i think sim kern knows how to scene build pretty well despite the fact that it feels more “tell” than “show” at times. however, it’s a good revolutionary story 

gmercado1990's review

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

mooneyreads's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

I will be thinking about this book for a long time. 

tiredbutawesome's review

adventurous challenging 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? Yes

4.0

Felt a little too relevant to the current state of the world, especially toward the end. I wouldn’t call it a comfortable read, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good