Reviews tagging 'Outing'

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

149 reviews

laguerrelewis's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

“When two violins are placed in a room if a chord on one violin is struck
the other violin will sound the note”
—Say Yes, Andrea Gibson

Light From Uncommon Stars is difficult to distill. A plot synopsis often leaves your audience thinking “how does that fit together?” This is actually Stars’ greatest strength—it contains multitudes, and its insight is fathomless. Like Gibson says in the poem quoted above, Ryka Aoki is able to play the exact chords that resonate and sound in the reader. The result is a moving and incredibly affecting story of legacy, love, connection, community, mistakes, the condition of being alive, and the connective power of music and donuts. These words will stay with me for years to come. Keep tissues on hand, and do not read this book hungry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Death, Dysphoria, Sexual content, War, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Outing, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Deadnaming, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, and Medical content

alienguy's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Deadnaming, Racism, Dysphoria, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Rape

Minor: War and Alcoholism

eleanora's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Transphobia, and Outing

alsoapples's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Outing, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Alcoholism

scmiller's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Transphobia, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Rape, Blood, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, and Murder

Minor: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, and Gore

apollo0325's review

challenging 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

5.0

This book still fucking SLAPS so hard. Beautiful writing, elegant prose, excellent characters and setting, and magical and donut-y world building. Caution: look into trigger warnings, but if you’re able to handle it, PLEASE read this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Dysphoria, Outing, Transphobia, Bullying, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Rape, Violence, Body shaming, and Self harm

Minor: War

subtlyfurious's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

This was a bizarre read but so unique. I think it’ll stick with me for a long time

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Outing, Transphobia, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Deadnaming, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, and Homophobia

jesselopod's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful fast-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

4.0

Equal parts harrowing and delightful, a strange, moving and entertaining read with massive themes explored through a very strange plot. It was an unexpected mash up of a lot of genres I like, and it took me a little while to get into it but I am glad I stuck with it, by 100 pages I was invested in the absurdity which would life you up and then smash you down to harsh reality, and kept being surprised at where it went next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Racial slurs, Outing, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia

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

pandsomeboi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-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

“Equally heartwarming and heartbreaking.” That’s how this book was described to me by one of the multiple people who recommended it. I don’t know how this book flew under my radar for a year, but I’m so glad folks made sure I found it! Just read it. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. Ever. It realistically incapsulates so many different experiences of life as “other;” the pain, the joy, and everything in between.

The best part is that it stands on its own as YA, and as sci-fi, and as fantasy, and as speculative fiction. Still feel weary about trans folks? Well how do you feel about space aliens? Or demons? Or music? Or food? Or immigration? Or coming-of-age stories? There are so many in-roads! It’s an amazing piece of literature. Creative. Well-written. Exciting. Compelling. And emotional! Everything you want.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Cultural appropriation, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Abandonment, Body shaming, Classism, Deadnaming, War, Bullying, Outing, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Grief, Transphobia, and Xenophobia