Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

23 reviews

brenna_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Deadnaming, Child abuse, and Transphobia

Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Homophobia, Outing, Self harm, and Cursing

abitbetterbooks's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Bullying, Deadnaming, Cursing, Misogyny, Outing, Racial slurs, Transphobia, Sexism, and Racism

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Xenophobia

eni_iilorak's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Outing, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Transphobia

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Murder, Self harm, Bullying, Classism, and Homophobia

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Suicide

theirgracegrace's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

Light From Uncommon Stars is a beautiful symphony from start to finish. Every pastiche-style chapter slowly develops the relationship between its three main characters: Shizuka Satomi, a violin teacher who needs to sacrifice one more student to Hell to be able to play again; Katrina Nguyen, a transgender woman escaping her transphobic and abusive family only to become Satomi's student; and Lan Tran, an alien refugee fleeing a galactic war with her family by pretending to be the owners of a donut shop. The prose reveals and hides at every moment, building to a powerful concert the night before Satomi's contract with Hell is up, and either she or Katrina has to die. The ending completely surprises and lends itself well to the book's themes of being oneself and sharing one's soul with the universe to stave off apathy and hate. Incredible book that I've recommended to everyone already!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Stalking, Violence, Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Self harm, Transphobia, Cursing, Death, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Rape, Deadnaming, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Xenophobia

Minor: Blood, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

riverleafing's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful medium-paced

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

3.75

Appreciated the Asian representations and real reps of trans misogyny and challenges. 
Unfortunately, lots of different POVs mixing in--although somewhat related acceptance of life matters--ultimately took away any potential depth from everyone else and the BIG topics of Katrina's life.  

It felt like characters from different books were interrupting Katrina's with whole "hey, samsies!" bits.  e.g. The lutier's POV 

"sorry I wasn't born a son to carry on daddy's business"

and aliens

escape from plague feelings of purposelessness/wanting to just be free, live safely, love queerly

could have been greatly reduced or entirely deleted and we'd legitimately lose nothing significant.  Might have made an interestingly deep and wild Triptych of books, though!
Too many detailed other ppl's stories going on in Katrina's life for the length of book.  But good job making it unique (if a little unsubtle): Demons, aliens, and POC human transness

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria and Transphobia

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Classism, Cursing, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, and Sexual content

hawk_just_hawk's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Drug use, Physical abuse, Dysphoria, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Violence, Bullying, Death, Rape, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Transphobia

abookwormspov's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Deadnaming, Cursing, Outing, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Rape, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death, and Abandonment

ka_ke's review against another edition

It starts off fine, the individual character perspectives are kept to individual chapters, but then around 25% of the book, perspectives change characters half way through scenes/paragraphs. 

I also think this book would benefit from a content warning in the beginning regarding the fmc’s body dysmorphia, suicidal thoughts, sex work etc. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Sexual violence, Violence, Outing, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual content, Racial slurs, War, and Xenophobia

gwenisnonbinary's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

3.75

Many many triggers in this book but it was one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Death, Dysphoria, Racism, Transphobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Cursing

Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Self harm, Rape, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Mental illness

Minor: War, Pedophilia, Murder, and Domestic abuse

andloveistoolong's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Light from Uncommon Stars has a WILD concept. There is so much going on in here (I mean, the plot is about deals with a devil AND extraterrestrial refugees hiding out on earth), but it all worked together so well! It is by turns funny and heartbreaking, but ultimately a beautiful and kind story that's going to be staying with me for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Dysphoria, Racism, Transphobia, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Deadnaming, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Cursing, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Violence, and War

Minor: Miscarriage, Ableism, Drug use, and Rape