Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King

2 reviews

raginsagein's review

Go to review page

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

2.25

So I will start by saying that this book is better than its predecessor. During the Eddie arc I was really cheering for King, thinking that maybe this one wouldn’t be racist or sexist. And then we meet Detta/Odetta/Susannah. And Detta is the worst kind of stereotype. And he mentions TWICE that she sounds like a stereotype. And my question is why have her talk like that in the first place when you simply…don’t have to. But all in all, I like the mysticism. I like where this series is headed. I think it’s a really cool and fun premise. I just…wish it was less racist for the sake of being racist. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

luciawolfie's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

In this book the POV is switched between characters... a lot, slowing down the action in doing so. And while in some parts it is an effective tool to increase suspense, like in the plane scene, making it feel claustrophobic in a way, in some others it just frustrates the reader, like in the shot-out with the drug dealers. In that specific case, the POV changed every few lines from one character to another, and each new change begun with repeating the events we learnt about from the previous voice. It slowed down what was supposed to be an action packed scene, not in a good adrenaline-infused-slow-motion, but in a "will you get on with it already?". In the latter chapters I find that this problem is not so prevalent, probably because there are less characters to switch but also because the author does not repeat the same info while switching from one voice to another anymore.
Another reason why I felt a bit weird about this book is
why the character of Odetta/Detta. It is just weird to me. I am by no means an expert on Dissociative Disorders, but the way she is presented... it does not sit right. It is like a stereotype  of  Jekyll and Hyde but because she is a woman we have to add a Madonna-whore complex. The way she is sexualized is also a classic instance of Men-writing-women. The description is just weird... and kinda fetishizing her dark skin as well. And why was the n-word discussion necessary in the least?

I am very disappointed because otherwise I really enjoyed the book.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...