Reviews tagging 'Death'

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

6 reviews

uranaishi's review against another edition

hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I understand why this book and it’s ideas were seminal in it’s time, but it is undeniably outdated in a number of ways now. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Confinement, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Self harm, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, War, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Genocide, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Classism, Cursing, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, and Rape

amsswim's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This one got me good, so this review will be longer than my usuals. This book is considered a classic among science fiction and it I am glad I read it. However I see many of the negative reviews on this one as completely understandable due to the way it completely switches up 2/3 of the way through. If you want an unhinged and fascinating story, this is it. 

The author and book are such a product of their time and it shows. THis book was written in 1961, and has moments of laughable (in my opinion) sexism and homophobia. It reads always blatantly as the author speaking through, but then he goes on from that and frames out the most progressive, sex-positive, all-inclusive way of life that combats the hateful views he clearly has but manages to not see that at all past his own self-insertion into the story.

The actual plot of the book is fascinating, the world building is amazing, and it is generally light hearted. The switch up it does is strange but did not ruin it for me. And the part-dated-part-weirdly-progressive views, adds a spice of a technologically advanced society that still has the political views and strife of 1960s America.

I'd say this book was well written, but content/views just need to be taken with a grain of salt. I had a blast listening to this one on Libby, it feels more like a Coen Brothers movie some of the time. Not for everyone, but lets talk books if anyone else decides to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, War, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Racism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Biphobia, Blood, and Death

Cult/religious zealotry

zworlund's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: War, Violence, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Death, Xenophobia, Misogyny, and Sexual content

gabriella_'s review against another edition

funny 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

2.5

Some of this aged like milk. The “don’t tread on me” flag stuff? The rape apologia? Miss me with that. I only read this because it inspired the David Bowie film The Man Who Fell to Earth but it lacked that charm. Some of the concepts were interesting and a handful of the prose was refreshing but there was a steep misogyny throughout that I struggled to wade through and felt blindsided by considering this book tried to position itself as progressive or radical somehow. Really disappointing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, and Confinement

unboxedjack's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

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

1.75

I thought I'd enjoy this, but it felt like what was a promising novel completely lost itself in the second half. The shift from a critical examination of culture, religion, and all that jazz to a gratuitous description of a sex cult made absolutely no sense. I tried to excuse Heinlein's repeated objectification and sexualization of women and absolute disparagement of anything other than heterosexuality as a sign of the times, but towards the end it felt like I was reading the inner machinations of a dirty old man. I'm not a prude and all for people feeling empowered by their sexuality, but Heinlein's characterization of women feeling as such was so much a product of the male gaze. Whether or not this was meant to be satirical--which I'll admit it did seem like this was the case at times--it was far too off-putting for my sensibilities. I can see why this novel may have been revolutionary for the time--the first half was definitely more engaging--but it simply didn't work for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cannibalism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexism, and Alcohol

shieldbearer's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

0.25

This book has all the qualities i hated in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but dialed up even more. There's no denying that it's an influential book, or even that some of the concepts the Heinlein is trying to get across are important. The problem is that he can't seem to engage in these discussions without being racist. The good parts of the book are heavily intwined with racism and ableism, and there's so much else going on that honestly I cannot recommend this book even with a critical read through. Someone could do something incredible with the base concept, but it's not worth the time taken to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Acephobia/Arophobia, Death, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Racism, Cannibalism, Classism, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, and Islamophobia

Moderate: Colonisation, Xenophobia, Drug use, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Kidnapping

Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault