Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

13 reviews

potterpav's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

2.0

giving this book two stars feels strange, i think because it can be split into 2 main parts: the inquiry and his turn to lucy, and the attack, and then when he departs from lucy. you would think the second “half” would start after the attack on the house, but no. this book feels insanely disjointed, lurie’s morals not sticking coherently throughout the novel despite repeatedly saying that he’s too old to change - was this a deliberate inconsistency or was it just this book being too flimsy? i didn’t like any character, i felt bad for every single woman who had to come into contact or conversation with lurie. talk abt self-absorbed! or maybe more unaware, and he only became aware too late. the praise this book received only makes me wonder who justified all the praise because i could rip into this book forever 😭 sorry. or am i? every content warning ever for this book bc lurie, i saw you finding a school girl attractive. don’t think i missed that during your period of “redemption”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, and Slavery

emilystsa's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

Disgrace isn't a book I would ever pick up or have any interest to read autonomously; but having read it for my English Lit course, I can understand the book's importance and popularity. Can I say I enjoyed it? No? I'm not sure. It's definitely a tough read, especially for a female reader, but the writing style and plot devices make it a somewhat entertainting story despite the glaring flaws of its narrator. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Eating disorder

swaggypsyduck's review

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape and Pregnancy

Minor: Lesbophobia

cgdppl's review

emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

1.75

There are more things that I truly despised to its core in this book than I liked. The sexist and misogynist descriptions of characters, the poorly written dialogues and lack of acknowledgement for the rape done by the main character. This book is extremly gross in terms of how women are treated and presneted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism

averytiredfox's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

One of the most well written, poignant books I've ever read, do not read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, and Colonisation

Sexual violence is at the forefront of this book. It may not be gratuitous (depending on opinion) but it is a major theme throughout.

chloe_hazel's review

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

leonormsousa's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

myrymayranen's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Racism and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Stalking

theoreads's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

This is one of those books that I really wanted to like, but wound up hating instead. Heavy subject matter aside, the writing is solid enough - good, but not great - and it kept me engaged. That said, I would pay actual money to unread this. I don’t usually mind unlikable protagonists, but this book had so many unredeemable, g-dawful characters that I couldn’t get past, which made it difficult to feel connected to what was happening. Wouldn’t read it again, going straight in my donation pile. 

⭐️ 3.75 for writing
⭐️ 3.5 for “value in discussion” (I can see this being interesting in a seminar context re: its (allegorical) depiction of South Africa in the wake of Apartheid, although I’d imagine I’d get far too heated about how much I dislike this book)
⭐️ 1 for literally everything else

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death, Gore, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Stalking and Abortion

2treads's review against another edition

challenging sad fast-paced

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

3.0

No doubt that this is very well written, but what kept running through my mind was the entitled predatory nature of this professor man who pursued a sexual relationship with his student ()she wasn't the only one). The depiction of the young lady made her seem vapid and detached. Her dialogue and actions seemed so engaged as if she was participating through some veil.

David Lurie is such a misogynistic prick. He behaves as if he had every right to take what he wanted when he wanted. The arrogance to recognize what he is doing but to go through with it anyway was despicable. Coetzee is clever in paralleling certain subjects that Lurie teaches with his actions in his personal life.

Has there ever been a more despicable human, every time we get some rumination that points to a reckoning with his lecherous and chauvinistic train of thought, here comes the sexist train to sweep him back unto the path he had barely stepped from.

He did not appreciate women who did not put any effort into their appearance; Her tight little body are just some of the stomach turning observances of this man. He is loathsome.

And yet all of this speaks to Coetzee's skill at depicting this man with such realistic clarity so that his readers react viscerally.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence