Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Acts of Service by Lillian Fishman

10 reviews

jneverland's review

dark funny informative tense slow-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? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

madelinequinnee's review against another edition

informative reflective fast-paced

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

2.5

I can’t really describe how I feel about this book. I understand the message it was trying to portray, that what you once believed your sexuality entailed can change, since sexuality is so fluid, and that love doesn’t necessarily mean you want to have a whole life with a person and involve them in everything, but i don’t know, it just feels like at times it missed the point slightly. 

There were some beautiful lines in this novel, so i did appreciate that, but i’m not a fan of books that don’t use speech marks when someone is talking, it always makes it so much harder to follow. 

I don’t really understand what Olivia and Eve saw in Nathan, it kind of just felt like a story about two women following a mediocre man just because he could fuck well? 

I just found this kind of boring at times, and i’m not a huge fan of lit fic so that probably had something to do with it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Homophobia

szmay's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content

hecateswickeddaughter's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Lesbophobia, Classism, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexism, Biphobia, Gaslighting, and Misogyny

nat_dalkiewicz's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexism

irenemarie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Infidelity, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexism, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

starswirlsheart's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

this from the very beginning was a 5 star read. i had high expectations and was hooked instantly. passages were highlighted. sexuality and queerness and it’s power dynamics and feminism and gender are all topics i love. the frustration. i love all of it. but it leaves me with wanting more. i feel like it could’ve used a couple more pages. i don’t really know what is missing. but something is.
this book makes me so fucking sad. 
i feel this sadness is inescapable. 

feminist eve coerced into testifying for nathan.

i definitely know this book is not for everyone and know that it will be either hated or loved or even a sad confused medium.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Rape, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

lizzie_r's review against another edition

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Classism, Sexual content, and Infidelity

Minor: Sexism, Blood, and Sexual assault

kelleykamanda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

Raw, relatable, incredibly reflecting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Grief

backpackfullofbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

“And now I could sense that clarity was somehow within reach.”

“Isn’t that just the deepest submission to power? Here, fine, I can’t resist this anymore?”

“I felt the web of the city around me.”

“I just knew what you wanted.”

“You are, you’re my greedy thing.”
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When the main character Eve embarks on an affair with a domineering couple she finds herself much more drawn to the man than she expects and is increasingly incorporated into their strange and unbalanced relationship.

Through this relationship Eve is trying to understand herself and her sexuality in a more detailed way. She is trying to actively decide what she wants and who she is, and she has very little regard for those she hurts in the process, including herself.

A book that moves between intense sexual exploration and musings on how the main character relates to the world, this book is not for the squeamish or those who dislike deep (slightly narcissistic) levels of introspection.
~
This was a difficult read for me.

I really dislike the elements that lean into sexual violence and coercion. I do understand that was the point of the book, but I don’t really see what she is trying to say with this other than to make the reader uncomfortable. It clearly wasn’t the book for me.

I did enjoy her style of writing a lot, it flows very nicely and I like the unstructured way she formats it. That was the main reason that I finished it.
~
I would recommend this book if you enjoy hyper literary books that examine dysfunctional sexual relationships.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity