Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt

121 reviews

thebechdelbitch's review

dark sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Jesus Christ, I feel slightly broken having finished this. This is not for the faint of heart, but it's a truly imaginative, absolutely ORIGINAL book which voiced and confirmed some of my deepest fears about this shit show of a country I live in. 

The haunted house metaphor was very on the nose but I don't really care. 

This made me absolutely cringe with fear and disgust before weeping with some sort of joy at the end. I don't think I could give this book less than five stars for inciting such visceral reactions, but definitely approach with caution. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Blood, Gore, Self harm, Rape, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Violence, Sexual assault, Vomit, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, and Xenophobia

genderbandit's review

challenging dark medium-paced

3.75

As I'm sure other readers have pointed out, i think the house metaphor could have been a little more subtle. I'm sure I missed some of what was going on in here as it's a very British book, but overall it was challenging and interesting and it did make me think.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Gore, Rape, Racial slurs, Outing, and Mental illness

partly_stars's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

It's a book that crawls under your skin to stay there. Its dark and gothic and full of trauma and horrible things happening. Si much exploration of trauma and its manifestations. Discossion on gender and transness, fascim and righr wirmng hate rising in britain. Its so very quer and so very british in its matter but also carries a lot of emotional weight that i think would carry over to non british audiences too.
Rumfitt is a skilled writer that boldly delves into darkest places and makes the reader feel them viscerally. The narrative voice weaves and blends tge perspectives of the characters, The House and omniscient narrator referencing things that have not yet came to pass. It makes you qestion what is really happenibg and what is in the mind, the nightmare state
This book is dark, trigger warnings galore, but it's not used for shock value. It all has a purpouse to tell a story and tobcreate thisvbleak universe that explores some of teh darkest things in midern british hearts that yet have roots deeply within this nations heart. It's both the worst case scenario and a warnungod what could happen
I love horror that has a messege that is explored through it and this one certeinly does. It made me want to step away and take a mental shower but i thinkbitsva really good book
Chilkung in its horror elements too like holly shit

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Transphobia, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Vomit, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual harassment

spinebinding's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Xenophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexism

Moderate: Racial slurs and Death

Minor: Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Misogyny, Blood, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Hate crime

sylvieleggatt's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Suicide, Transphobia, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Dysphoria, Gore, and Vomit

musical_alex's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gore, Vomit, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Self harm, Transphobia, Violence, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Addiction, Homophobia, Sexual content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Excrement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexual harassment

dodgeremerson's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Hate crime, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Body shaming, Gore, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Rape, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Torture, Violence, Racism, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Bullying, Confinement, Dysphoria, Grief, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, and Vomit

chainsawheartbooks's review

challenging dark 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

3.75

*deep breath* Ok, I think this is a very heavy book, one that’s darkly and deeply reflective of society and the ways in which we and others perceive ourselves, as well as the trans community and what people deem the “ideal female body”. It’s well written, and I don’t believe that a cis author could have written this or done this topic the justice and truth that Rumfitt did, but it’s such a heavy book, one that feels like it’s pushing down more on your chest with each chapter, and so (rightly) political that I can’t say I’ve enjoyed it, it’s more like I’m glad to have experienced it, but I couldn’t read this again.

The language in this, especially considering the subject material and events, can often be very crude, cruel and uncomfortable to read, which I suppose is part of the point of the book. 

I am very glad that Rumfitt included the trigger warnings at the start of the book, they helped me prepare for some of the events and the language that would be used, not necessarily to the point that I knew just how heavy they would be but enough that I was going into the story understanding that I would be reading things that would (and in certain places did) really affect me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Self harm, Body horror, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, Racism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Vomit, Antisemitism, Bullying, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Drug use, and Violence

Moderate: Deadnaming

vicshank's review against another edition

dark

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Lesbophobia, Xenophobia, and Transphobia

kelsmc's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Racism, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Xenophobia and Blood

Minor: Vomit