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Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'
La casa en el mar más azul. Edición especial: Edición especial con cantos tintados by TJ Klune, Carlos Abreu Fetter
352 reviews
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
On the surface this is a sweet book. A bureaucrat named Linus goes to an orphanage to see how things are going with the magical children and their mysterious headmaster, for lack of a better term. The kids are sweet and he comes to love them and Arthur, the headmaster (who deeply loves and cares for the children). I was very fond of Arthur and the children, and was passingly fond of Linus. We are told he is by the book and seems unflappable, which is why he was chosen for this review by the government agency he works for. But he sort of dithers around and seems very surprised and shocked by the kids. We are constantly told how wonderful he is, but I don't quite see it? Because he is open-minded and not a jerk to the kids? I also think the book is a smidge too long. I found it to be a soothing book about giving people chances and not judging them for being different, and that everyone deserves a place to call home with people who love them.
HOWEVER, there are some controversies about this book, as Klune was at least partially inspired by residential schools, where Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in to orphanages, treated brutally (some even killed) to try to assimilate them into white society and culture. There are also some excellent points to be made about trauma and children in foster care systems, and whether or not that is accurately reflected here in the book. As I have no experience with the foster care system, and I am not an Indigenous Person, or even a person of color, I do not want to make a judgement call on this, nor do I feel able to. I have seen comments on both sides about these issues. What is clear is that Klune is using the magical children as an allegory to show the oppression of a marginalized group by society, culture, and the government. I think we can all appreciate the attempt. But how people feel going from there is really going to be up to each person and their individual lives and experiences. The story and the characters are sweet and soothing, but there is still a lot I feel uncertain about. I did not want to ignore the issues that many other readers have addressed much better than I have.
HOWEVER, there are some controversies about this book, as Klune was at least partially inspired by residential schools, where Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in to orphanages, treated brutally (some even killed) to try to assimilate them into white society and culture. There are also some excellent points to be made about trauma and children in foster care systems, and whether or not that is accurately reflected here in the book. As I have no experience with the foster care system, and I am not an Indigenous Person, or even a person of color, I do not want to make a judgement call on this, nor do I feel able to. I have seen comments on both sides about these issues. What is clear is that Klune is using the magical children as an allegory to show the oppression of a marginalized group by society, culture, and the government. I think we can all appreciate the attempt. But how people feel going from there is really going to be up to each person and their individual lives and experiences. The story and the characters are sweet and soothing, but there is still a lot I feel uncertain about. I did not want to ignore the issues that many other readers have addressed much better than I have.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Grief
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
maybe it’s recency bias but this has to be one of the best books i’ve ever read. i have never cried so much. i devoured this, i could not put it down. pump this shit into my veins
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oh my gosh! THIS BOOK! I'm so happy I read it! It made me feel happy and yet there was a time when my eyes burned due to the tears in my eyes. I loved all our main characters! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE! I was so unwell after I finished it. Heartbroken even. I love this book so much! 🥰😥
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse
This book does tackle themes of discrimination and prejudice. And how rhetoric like that can shape the individuals as well as the society affected by it.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After hearing so many good things about The House in the Cerulean Sea, I finally got around to reading it! (Thanks to my Secret Santa, Matty. <3)
The book definitely is hard to put down, so it was a fast read, and all the scenes with the children on the island were absolutely adorable. I loved their magical forest, and how much the main character sometimes reminded me of Aziraphale from Good Omens, who is one of my absolute favourites.
Still, I feel like this story didn't quite meet my (very high) expectations. It took about 150 pages before I finally had the feeling that it had really started, and while it makes sense that the reader needed to be given a lot of information about this world, I really felt this could have been tightened up with some thorough editing.
My biggest issue was that I didn't quite "feel" the romance.To me, it felt a bit as if Linus at first fell for Arthur simply because he was the first handsome man who gave him as little as a friendly smile, but I generally prefer if romance stories give me, as the reader, some sense of "why that one?". By the time the story made me feel that a little more, even Linus had already realised he had fallen for him.
Looking back at my review for Under the Whispering Door, I'll have to conclude that TJ Klune's writing style is just a little bit too zoomed out for me. Seeing everything at a distance can be useful to maintain the sense of comfort that his books all have, but for me personally it makes it harder to really be as invested in the characters' emotions. Then again, I doubt I'd call The House in the Cerulean Sea a "comfort read" for myself, considering the underlying themes that made this world so unsafe for children that are "other", and I wasn't entirely satisfied with how Linus' internalised fatphobia was handled.
I'm definitely happy that many readers got to know this book and the cosy fantasy genre in general thanks to the marketing behind it, but for me personally, it didn't quite hit the spot I'd hoped it would.
The book definitely is hard to put down, so it was a fast read, and all the scenes with the children on the island were absolutely adorable. I loved their magical forest, and how much the main character sometimes reminded me of Aziraphale from Good Omens, who is one of my absolute favourites.
Still, I feel like this story didn't quite meet my (very high) expectations. It took about 150 pages before I finally had the feeling that it had really started, and while it makes sense that the reader needed to be given a lot of information about this world, I really felt this could have been tightened up with some thorough editing.
My biggest issue was that I didn't quite "feel" the romance.
Looking back at my review for Under the Whispering Door, I'll have to conclude that TJ Klune's writing style is just a little bit too zoomed out for me. Seeing everything at a distance can be useful to maintain the sense of comfort that his books all have, but for me personally it makes it harder to really be as invested in the characters' emotions. Then again, I doubt I'd call The House in the Cerulean Sea a "comfort read" for myself, considering the underlying themes that made this world so unsafe for children that are "other", and I wasn't entirely satisfied with how Linus' internalised fatphobia was handled.
I'm definitely happy that many readers got to know this book and the cosy fantasy genre in general thanks to the marketing behind it, but for me personally, it didn't quite hit the spot I'd hoped it would.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia
Minor: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Xenophobia
Minor: Death of parent
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Because the initial premise is so similar to other schools for magical children I didn’t expect this to be a five star read despite its popularity. It quickly won me over! So well written with profound ideals and I really like the 1984-esque aspect as well. INCREDIBLE AUDIOBOOK!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this book, but found the dialogue rather stilted and preachy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Blood
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
my favourite book!!!! the writing style is so beautifull, introspective and funny. such a wonderfull book about found family, really wholesome yet goes into deep topics in such a good way. beautifull setting and interesting characters that will break your heart with how much you love them. cannot reccomend this book enough!!
people say the book is predictable, and i think it is in a way, but i dont mind that. it's not about where the characters end up, its about seeing how they change, how they grow and heal. it's a lovely, hopefull book. hope for the future, for what any of us can be, for what we can choose to be no matter how hard things get, it's hope for change :)
i think it's a book everyone needs to read, anyone could use a little bit of the healing lovely properties of this book. anyone could use a little bit of hope. this book is a lovely reminder.
people say the book is predictable, and i think it is in a way, but i dont mind that. it's not about where the characters end up, its about seeing how they change, how they grow and heal. it's a lovely, hopefull book. hope for the future, for what any of us can be, for what we can choose to be no matter how hard things get, it's hope for change :)
i think it's a book everyone needs to read, anyone could use a little bit of the healing lovely properties of this book. anyone could use a little bit of hope. this book is a lovely reminder.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse