Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

287 reviews

errie's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Gaslighting, Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia

bellsdixon's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

mbrogs2024's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Alcohol

muldxr's review against another edition

3.0

informative reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Sexism, Sexual assault, Classism

Heavy amounts of victim blaming for what I felt was a glossed-over assault. It was important to the victim so why did it only last a page? The blaming it on her was realistic but it felt over the top sometimes. Not enough hockey for what I thought was a hockey book; teenage characters are appropriately immature, the adult characters didn’t feel fleshed out to me. Wish I had more context of the town

anniereads221's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

katecuthbert's review against another edition

5.0

challenging inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence

avalon's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I have no idea how to describe it, but Fredrik Backman's writing so perfectly encapsulates the mundane. Every character has a life, thoughts, emotions. I have never seen a book with a world that feels so perfectly imperfect and so perfectly human.
I like the way he writes like its a recollection of a past. Most books do, but Backman always adds "a few years from now she will look back at this moment" and it's such a good detail.

I wanna note that there were times that this book just completely hit me right in the chest to the point where I cried. The way he writes the ins and outs of different types of relationships is so beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts

acupoftea16's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence

majca's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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If only she hadn't existed, then none of this would have happened, why didn't she think of that.

This turned out to be the wrong read at the wrong time for me. I didn’t expect the “event” to be what it was, and the emotions it stirred felt uncomfortably close to current real-life frustrations. Sadly I just wanted the book to be over at a certain point.

That said it's still a good novel, as the conflict and characters are deeply heartfelt and realistically drawn. With a large cast like this, it’s impressive how coherent and authentic each character feels. However, the rapid shifts in perspective may not suit everyone.

I docked 1–1.5 stars for a few personal grievances. Even under different circumstances, the topic is too authentic and painful and too frequent a real life story that I don't particularly enjoy reading about it in fiction. Additionally, the narrative style didn’t work for me. The heavy, intentional repetitive phrasing. The foretelling and narrative prolepsis. And perhaps most of all the decision to resolutely use the characters roles instead of their names. Initially just distracting, this became grating by the end.
It's admittedly very quotable though, sometimes contrived or nonsensical, but often on the spot as well.

And when enough people are quiet for long enough, a handful of voices can give the impression that everyone is screaming.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol

Minor: Pregnancy

melinas_reads's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia