Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle

8 reviews

rafacolog's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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dottiewankenobi's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

1.75

Let me preface this by saying I'm no longer the target demographic of this book (which I imagine must be young to late teenagers), though really I'm only in my early 20s so not that far off. Still, I did not like this book.

This collection of three short novellas seems cute in the synopsis, but unfortunately, it has aged terribly. The R-slur is used in chapter 8 of John Green's A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle (which of course was seen as perfectly normal then, but deserves a warning now). This book also has the worst Not Like Other Girls behavior I've ever read about, and it was incredibly frustrating, ruining my experience reading.

Going into all books, I want to like the female characters especially, whether they're good or bad, kind or not. But the main girls in this book are all their own flavors of insufferable, hating on other girls, not concerned for their wellbeing at all while aware there are creeps lurking around, self-absorbed and boring, etc etc etc.... While the boys range from nearly-an-assaulter (big dick Charlie :|), treat-girls-like-objects (everyone in John Green's story), disgusting-college-students-ready-to-fuck-high-school-girls (they get a special shout out because I hated them the most), spineless (Jeb; please stand up for yourself holy fuck), and somewhat-decent (Stuart).

Beyond these immediate setbacks, I have more specific reviews for each one. Many spoilers below, untagged.

The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson -- 2.5 stars
I did not like Jubilee or Noah. I didn't even really like Stuart until the end when he called Noah out on his shit, because I'm a sucker for guys that don't, well, suck. However, I honestly don't understand why Stuart was made to be Jewish from a writing stand point. Of course I want to see more Jewish rep in all kinds of stories, and a Christmas story with a Jewish character could be done in plenty of interesting ways. But ... Stuart and his family really feel Jewish in name only, because his mother is so obsessed with Christmas. I would've loved to hear more about how tough it was to fit in for them, but instead we got no nuance and barely any purpose for Stuart to be Jewish at all. He and Dorrie don't even interact by the end. What's the purpose of creating Jewish characters who briefly touch on how it's difficult to be Jewish where they live before going on and behaving exactly like they would if they were Christian, then doing nothing with the connection between the only two Jewish characters in the story?

At least the end of this one was cute.

A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green -- 1.75 stars
Were the characters in this story meant to be likable at all? Because other than JP, who is on thin ice, they were not. I don't know what's appealing about horn dog boys treating cheerleaders like nothing but an opportunity to fuck but I did not enjoy reading about it. I didn't like Tobin; I didn't like the Duke. JP was at least funny.

The problem with this one is that they go on this long, nearly fatal journey in which the Duke is not really having any fun, just to go see these cheerleaders and score with them, only to -- by the time they finally get there -- not want to go in anymore because Tobin has suddenly realized he likes the Duke. I didn't like and was completely uninterested in their romance so to me this one really feels like it had no point. They almost die multiple times only to get there and nothing happens because they don't care anymore. ??????

I feel very conflicted about saying mean things about/to John Green because of, well, everything on tumblr and also John Green was very helpful in high school. But this was not one of his better works -- it's very much a sign of the times and not in a good way.

The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle -- 1.5 stars I guess
Is there anything to say about this one? I didn't enjoy it. Addie just had to call Jeb, a Native American boy, 'exotic' and that was it, it was all downhill from there. The only good thing I can say about Addie is that she wasn't QUITE as bad of an NLOG as Jubilee and the Duke were, which is not that impressive, but still. Thank you Addie for being slightly normal. Anyway, this was not that fun or interesting. Addie was selfish and annoying and pessimistic the whole time; I guess there was an angel but I really don't care enough to consider what all of that meant. Teagan and Dorrie were the best parts, because they were kind and also called her out on her shit. Once again I am asking why make Stuart and Dorrie Jewish if it had no bearing on the story and they didn't even interact despite having a connection of some kind. Also, rights for Nathan, not because I like him but because I don't like Addie and he agrees with me.

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ashleyv8417's review against another edition

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lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

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hayleythegoose's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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samvansam's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

(4,5/5) I liked the first story by Maureen Johnson. It was cosy & the characters were lovable and there was growth throughout.

(2,5/5) I didn't enjoy John Green's story as much. The main/narrating character and his male friend were really sexist and it contains a joke about Lindsey Lohan and an r-slur that were both completely unnecessary (and not corrected by other chars in the story). The girl-character was a not-like-other-girls classic, while descriptions of the cheerleader characters were extremely misogynistic.

(1/5) I'm not sure I'll finish the last story by Lauren Myracle. 8 pages in, the narrating character sounds very self-involved and the "love interest", who is Native American, is exoticised and essentialised by Native stereotypes. Again there is an ableist slur in the story.

Over all, 2,5 stars.

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