Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

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I understand why this book and it’s ideas were seminal in it’s time, but it is undeniably outdated in a number of ways now.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

dannb's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was written in 1961.  it is both sexist/preachy and relevant

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism and Religious bigotry

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

wispy_reviews's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

2.75

I’ve said before that old Sci-Fi rarely ages well, this novel is my case and point.
This work is held as a cornerstone of modern Sci-Fi, which I don’t think is an unfair statement; the first half of this book had very interesting dialogue and self reflection on the role of religion and faith in modern day.  That being said, the author’s other theses are gratingly misogynistic and homophobic throughout, spoken through a “genius science fiction author” character as a weak self-insertion. Themes of strictly heterosexual polygamy are a repeating pattern in Heinlein’s work, of which I’ve only read two but it’s funny that it’s happened twice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Misogyny

Moderate: Violence and Religious bigotry

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