Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

9 reviews

dcfelk's review

challenging emotional funny reflective fast-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

5.0

Tender and critical. Didn't expect to love it like I did. Especially a short story collection! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Infidelity, and Dementia

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Homophobia, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Sexual content, Abortion, and Violence

buttermellow's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Dementia, Abandonment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Physical abuse

katndrsn's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Child death, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia

Minor: Child abuse and Gun violence

cinderrunner's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

This book captures such a depth of emotional complexity and humanity. Its a wonderful read. The examination of living at the cross roads of personal freedom/truth and doing what is expected of you from your culture/the people around you is beautifully done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Infidelity

cozylifewithabby's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.25

I really don't know how to rate this. Just like any Short Story collection some stories were stronger than others. Also some of the stories were very short with others long, so I wasn't able to get to know those characters as well. I really liked the intergenerational aspect of many of the stories, but wish more of the issues of the church were explored besides sexual lives. I appreciated the Jael story for that reason. But the writing is undoubtedly good and I will check out future weeks from Philyaw

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content

Moderate: Misogyny, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Abortion and Murder

shieldbearer's review

emotional reflective 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

5.0

Every story was so well crafted with nuanced characters.  Highly recommended. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Infidelity, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief, Racism, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Dementia, and Racial slurs

Minor: Car accident, Child death, and Cancer

michmoo's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Death

Minor: Murder

rosalind's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Dementia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Racial slurs

charlottejones952's review

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-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

4.5

 

I’d heard a few great things about this short story collection so after two months of barely reading anything, I thought I’d give it a go. I was so surprised with how much I enjoyed it!

Deesha Philyaw has a writing style that completely sucks you into each short story from the first few lines. With subtle connections between of the stories and their characters, each one was unique and discussed the personal lives of black women in a particular parish. I loved the discussions of race, family and sisterhood, as well as misogyny and sexuality. With both straight and queer female characters throughout, it felt like a very inclusive read for a book that is under 200 pages.

As this is a short story collection, there are some stories that I felt worked better than others but overall I would highly recommend it, particularly on audiobook. I will definitely check out any future works by this author.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Homophobia