Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue

3 reviews

mscalls's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Rape, Xenophobia, Blood, and War

rainbopagn's review against another edition

3.0

I had to switch to the audiobook to be able to finish this. I am not sure if there is something lost in the translation, but each character is identified by two or three different things; sometimes first or last name, some times title, and that makes it incredibly hard to follow. 

The biggest problem I had with the book itself and why I had to switch to audio is the fact that there is no separation between the text and when someone is speaking. It is hard to tell when something is being thought versus being spoken and by whom. 

SPOILERS
The ending being semi open doesn't accomplish what I think the author intended. If he intended for this to be the "what if" of Cortez's mission failing and the Maya Empire surviving him, then it is too ambiguous. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, and Colonisation

clynns's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

Like taking mushrooms. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, and War