Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt

92 reviews

spinebinding's review

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challenging dark emotional tense 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

5.0

A compelling horror novel that felt like looking in a grimy bathroom mirror. A complex story dealing with the complex intersections of transness and racial identity, how fascism or psudo-fascist states and cultures eat into and violate every person living under them and how it violently separates us and turns us against each other for it's own benefit, making us both the victim and victimizer. 

This story focuses heavily on the fascism and socio-political climate of England.  As an American reader, the themes and concepts did translate and the story resonated deeply with me, but you will find it feels slightly misaligned with American fascism simply because they are different breeds of the same species.   

Some may find the imagery and messaging too heavy handed, but for me it never really felt out of place.  When reading others' opinions I would think 'of course it's heavy handed, fascism is heavy handed.  It beat's itself into you and many do not even notice.'

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sylvieleggatt's review

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challenging dark emotional sad tense
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated

4.75


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musical_alex's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective tense 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

4.5

yikes

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dodgeremerson's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

3.5

Absolutely brutal. 

This book made me deeply uncomfortable the entire time I read it. I don't regret reading it, as it is a good look at how easy it is to fall into fascist ideology, especially for young people and marginalized individuals. 

It is not for everyone, but if you have the stomach for it, it's worth a read. 

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whatsmacksaid's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is everything the blurbs say it is: ambitious. Brutal. Brilliant. Gripping. Righteously angry. Horrifying. Lush. Harrowing. Punk. Defiant. Compulsive. etc., etc., etc.,

BUT--as the bookseller checking my purchase out warned me--you need to pay attention to the content warnings. Even if you're anti-CW, make an exception in this case, because Tell Me I'm Worthless is literally one of the darkest books I've ever read. I've spent days trying to think of anything else remotely as messed up and have only been able to come up with Night by Elie Wiesel (which, yes, is a memoir of the holocaust).

Another BUT: if you can get through it--and honestly no shade if you can't--it's worth it. Its darkness seems absolute, but, shockingly, it's not.

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betris's review

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dark 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? Yes

3.0


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erin_is_reading's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5


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rosekantorczyk's review

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

4.0


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archaicrobin's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

3.5 but Goodreads doesn’t have half stars. Tell Me I’m Worthless is a haunted house story that is so much more than that. I went into this pretty blind with no expectations and I’m glad I did because if you pick this up looking for just a haunted house story you will be disappointed because there is so much social commentary on trans rights, misogyny, violence against minorities, and our disjointed and hateful culture in todays world.

This book had scenes that were absolutely horrifying and had so many references to other literary haunted house stories, like The Haunting of Hill House and Bluebeard’s ghost. While the horror elements were superb this book at times read like a fever dream with chapters that were strings of consciousness from the characters, including the house itself. The author intertwines the supernatural horror with the horror of bigotry, hate, and sexual violence so well that there were scenes I struggled to read. 

If you’re looking for a unique horror story with diverse characters and a meld of horror and social commentary then I highly recommend Tell Me I’m Worthless. 

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noemi_qu's review

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challenging dark tense fast-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

3.25

This is not a story you read for escapism, it was a challenge to get through most of the graphic yet realistic details. Take the content warnings very much to heart and be in a good headspace to digest it all. 
The third act unfortunately felt too "eyelids forced opened a la clockwork orange" but still feels in line with what the author wanted so I'm going with a mid rating for that and the epilogue. It was a book that had something to say and it said it loud and brutal.

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