Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

112 reviews

pip10's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Misogyny, Death, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Racism

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

ctara2123's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death, War, Violence, Torture, Sexism, Murder, Misogyny, and Blood

Moderate: Racism, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Bullying

decie's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Violence, Sexism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, and Confinement

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Rape

tiffanne11's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

3.75

Girls in Otera are two things, either they bleed red and are deemed pure, or they bleed gold and are sentenced to death. 
Deka has never fit in and is looking forward to being deemed pure and finally belonging. But her entire world is turned upside down when her town is attacked on the day of the ritual. Her blood runs gold, and everything changes. 

As a whole, this story was compelling. It used fiction to describe and address real systemic issues, while also creating a world and characters that draw you in. 
However, the big reveal was not shocking and it was mildly frustrating how long it took for it to happen. 
To me, there is no reason for there to be a sequel or to read it. All of the main loose ends were tied up, and there isn't anything pulling me into continuing the story. The reader has all of the information we need to put it down and be satisfied. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Racism, War, Blood, Murder, Sexism, and Trafficking

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Gore, Hate crime, Genocide, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

mysteryspouse's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Murder, Cursing, Abandonment, Colonisation, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, War, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Vomit, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Dysphoria

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Excrement

kimreads14's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.25

The Gilded Ones was a great introduction to a new world by Namina Forna. 🏆

The overall experience of reading this book made my blood boil at all times. Forna's capacity to depict a patriarchal and misogynistic world that will make you question your own reality is masterful!
Forna offers a beautiful piece that pushes you to critically think about the state of our society.

The reason why I bumped it down from 5 ⭐️ to 4.25 ⭐️ is because from time to time the writing and the world-building felt a bit forced rather than carrying you inside Otera smoothly and with grace. 
Also while I understand that Deka is meant to be special among even the Alakis, the way this was depicted sometimes felt a bit borderline of a Mary Sue character. Anyone who is used to reading books of this kind will admit that the MFC tends to always be special... However, it sometimes felt like Deka was way too special for no real reason other than pumping up the character's ego instead of moving the story along. 
Finally, I was a bit disappointed with the brevity of White Hands' final explanation of who she is and why she did what she did. Parts of the story could have been shorter to give this more space, or pages could have been added. 

Overall though, this book was beautifully written and truly makes you question how 'free' you are as a woman in society. I'm excited to get back to Deka and her friends' story with the next book in the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Death, Slavery, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, War, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Child abuse, Torture, and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

emerentina's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Blood, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, War, Racism, Physical abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy

abby_can_read's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

📱
This was a good book. I liked the characters, the worldbuilding is strong, and I struggled with the pacing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Death, Xenophobia, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Torture

Minor: Death of parent

mj1588's review against another edition

challenging mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, War, Cursing, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Gore, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Vomit, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Torture, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Violence, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Kidnapping

obscureprism's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful fast-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

3.75

I enjoyed reading this, but the character relationships felt very rushed and left a lot to be desired. A lot of emotional aspects of the book I felt like I was being told I had to care about rather than being showed why I should care about them. Overall, I think the book and storyline in general needed more detail to help me develop actual feelings towards the characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Violence, Animal death, Racism, and Hate crime