Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

19 reviews

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Death, Homophobia, Animal death, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Sexual assault, and Animal death

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

eicart_reads's review

emotional informative reflective

4.25

Engrossing, thoughtful essays that combine fascinating stories about sea creatures with reflections on the author's life as a queer, biracial person. The parallels that they draw are creative and compelling. I inhaled this on audio, read by the author.


CW:
I did not realize that this would contain so much material about the author, so I would not have considered content warnings. But there are some major ones: dieting, body shaming (by self and others), drug use, alcohol use, blacking out from alcohol use, non-consensual sex (inability to recall consent in some cases -- because blacking out from alcohol use), underage non-consensual sex.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Dysphoria, Body shaming, and Drug use

Moderate: Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Animal death

includes talk about blacking out with alcohol use and sex with dubious/can't remember consent while blacked out

displacedcactus's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

I've read over 100 books so far this year and this stands out as one of the very best. It was beautiful, powerful, honest, and informative. I love learning about animals, and the way the author wove all these fascinating facts about sea creatures into their own experiences with race, gender, sexuality, body image, and relationships (romantic and family) was just so creative and thought-provoking.

This book had me near tears several times with the tenderness the author uses when speaking of the LGBTQIA+ community and their own self, and at a few of the sadder animal stories as well. It's emotional without feeling manipulative.

I enjoyed the audio version because it felt really impactful to hear the author's experience in their own voice, and also, there's a sort of wry humor in their voice in certain parts. They're a great narrator as well as a great writer! It sounds like the physical and ebook versions might have illustrations, though, so if you're one of those people who can read and listen at the same time, do that! Otherwise, it seems like all options are good options.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, and War

Minor: Racial slurs

aktreich's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Fatphobia, and Racism

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

jessereadsthings's review against another edition

emotional informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Fatphobia

lucystolethesky's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racism, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, Transphobia, and Misogyny

lowbrowhighart's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexism, Racism, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

Minor: Alcohol, Body horror, Drug use, and Child abuse

30something_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

* I updated this to 5 stars because I cannot stop thinking about it* 

This was such a great mix of science and memoir. I loved the scientific tidbits on the various species discussed and thoroughly enjoyed reading through these essays and the connections that the author makes to their life. 

Some of the essays resonated more that others. I am still tickled by the authors Petco anecdote and observations of the feral goldfish. The stories of the starving octopus and sturgeon were really thoughtful pieces regarding the authors relationships with their mother and grandmother. I had to set the book down for a few days after the Sand Striker essay. (Not because it was bad... it was, in fact, <i>too good</i> and very haunting.) And the essay "We Swarm" discussing Salps and finding joy in queer community made my heart swell.

Would absolutely recommend. I will definitely be looking into Imbler's other works. 

TWs: rape, sexual assault, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, coming out, transphobia, racism, gender dysphoria, substance abuse,

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Dysphoria, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Outing, Transphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Fatphobia, and Rape

Minor: Drug use, Sexism, and Toxic relationship