Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

210 reviews

pan_dulce08's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

2.5

I felt the book started out really strong with the main protagonist, Kristina, really intriguing me as I found her relatable but also somewhat mysterious with how she acted, and I wanted to see her develop and come into better circumstances. I also liked the setting of Southern California and how it is picked apart and commented on by the character of Shizuka. However, I feel with everything that was added as the story progressed and how long the cast-list came to be the book fails a bit with balancing the diverse set of themes present in it. It also fails in some ways to really think critically about what is portrayed in it, which makes the characters feel less... human.

(Yes, I know some of the characters are literally in-human, but even so, actions like murder of multiple innocent people should still be treated with the gravity that action deserves by the alien characters as well, as that act is still wrong where they come from!)

For example,

Shizuka offhandedly mentions how she had done sexual favors for people in exchange for nice things like the car she drives, and later on Katrina begins the same practice... as a seventeen year old minor. Katrina was involved with sex work before, however it was clear the abuse she suffered while on the job was simply endured by her because she needed the money from it to stay alive, and the harsh nature of the clients she had to see and what they would make her do was given the narrative weight it required, but that theming and narrative standard does not carry through with what Katrina does later on in the story.

I feel like this carelessness about the acts of sexual exploitation of young women in a male-dominated industry is very confusing with what a lot of the book's focus seems to be, which is that on two women, one younger and one older, who both have scratched and clawed their ways to succeed in what they are passionate about. If anything, those acts should be treated with far more heaviness than they are by the book so as to not confuse the reader so much! 

Sorry this is so long... I enjoyed a lot of aspects and characters from the book when I read it, but a lot of things about it bothered me as well and I wanted to talk about those things...

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Outing, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Alcoholism

ngrant88's review against another edition

Poorly developed characters and relationships, way too much plot without anything actually happening, POV changes mid paragraph and EVERY TRIGGER WARNING there is. This could have been a good book if someone else wrote it (and removed several plot lines).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Outing, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and War

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: Alcoholism and War

kitaface's review against another edition

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Murder and War

lastsilversunset's review against another edition

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Racism, Transphobia, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

cazadork's review

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia and Dysphoria

Moderate: Deadnaming, Sexual violence, and Violence

nixkelley's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Any book that makes me cry during the reading and at the end gets five stars from me. I have never read a story like this. I wish that I could permanently etch it onto my heart.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Dysphoria

scmiller's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

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

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

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

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: War