Reviews tagging 'Lesbophobia'

Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan

14 reviews

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

very similar to the only Sally Rooney book i've read, Normal People, (in fact, both audiobooks were read by the same person) but where i found NP depressing, i found Exciting Times *comforting*. i think it's in the narration: NP's is third-person, detached, and almost cold, while ET's is first-person, familiar, and didn't make everything feel completely futile? it helped that i related a lot, more than i would like, to the narrator 🥲 she's just like me fr. i loved her character's voice (in the literary sense, not the audiobook, though that was good too), i saw myself reflected in it a bit.
i want to talk about the ending. at first i was disappointed, asking myself how the author could think that's a good place to stop. but i read it back and there's more to it:

the comparison of exiting the subway station to ascending into the clouds—heavenly, or at least stepping out of the dark and into the light. and to spot & run after Edith there? and Ava's admission to herself that she loves Edith, and that Edith changed her life… i think it says more about me that i wasn't against her moving to Frankfurt with Julian. because at least she had someone who ostensibly wanted her, and what more is there, right? but that's not what i was meant to take away. it's a little bit romcom, but chase after the person you wronged in a transit hub and get them back; don't settle for the emotionally stunted man-child. (i do actually kind of like Julian though, despite his politics [Miles is right]).

i also appreciate that the book is a vessel for talking about these things: even though you lovely storygraphians did not ask to hear any of this, it's nice to be able to express it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Biphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Lesbophobia, Abortion, Classism, and Cursing

Minor: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Bullying, Colonisation, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Addiction, Body shaming, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Drug use, and Fatphobia

elenakperez's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

I think this was well-written and interesting read. Most of the book takes place inside the protagonist's head. If you enjoy a Sally-Rooney-esque novel you'll like Exciting Times. If you like reading about an emotionally detached, 20-something woman making poor life decisions which many could be avoided with simple communication then you'll like this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Abortion, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Misogyny, and Lesbophobia

sentcinematic's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Xenophobia, and Lesbophobia

skudiklier's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

I'm not sure how much I liked this book. I enjoyed it, I found it engaging, and I laughed out loud more than once. I also really liked some of the lines; I listened to the audiobook while driving so I sadly didn't save most of them, but there was one part that hit me so hard I paused the book and just sort of yelled for a minute. I just spent fifteen minutes tracking it down so I might as well share it here:

"The best wedges of words were the ones my eight-year-olds wrote: I like her face. With her I am happy. I wished I’d never learned more advanced grammar and could only make sentences like that. It would give me an excuse to say them aloud."

Anyway. This book didn't really go anywhere and I'm not sure the characters are very good in any real way, but I enjoyed the narration for sure. It's interesting and I'd recommend it to some people, but not everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Cursing, and Biphobia

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Rape, Sexism, Terminal illness, Lesbophobia, and Sexual content

Minor: Racism

ienbdri's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Addiction, and Bullying

Minor: Abortion

girlgetsbook's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

3.25

I didn't love it as I thought I would, because it has a lot of themes I either relate to or am interested by, however I didn't enjoy the character's voice so much and almost DNFd it, it felt tiring at times especially in part I, it felt like it was the same scene over and over and the same topics, though important, being driven to the ground by being mentioned in every sentence. Part II saved it for me and all the stars here are exclusively because that part exists, still I was already tired and wanting to finish it as quickly as possible by that time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Lesbophobia and Homophobia

mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Classism, and Infidelity

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Lesbophobia

woolfism's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abortion, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Rape

radfordmanor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abortion and Emotional abuse

Minor: Colonisation and Infidelity

nicolinebl's review against another edition

funny reflective fast-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? Yes

5.0

I'm smelling a new favourite book. Yes. Yes, definitely. So frigging good, I can barely put it into words. Ava is such an iconic character. So witty and sarcastic and honestly kinda mean but in the sexiest way possible. 

This book is not going to be your cup of tea if you want action but if you like nice dialogues and iconic characters who are all totally flawed but also totally awesome, give it a try. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Misogyny, and Sexual content