Reviews tagging 'Transphobia'

The Power by Naomi Alderman

16 reviews

gabgeh's review

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Incredible. Amazing. Thought-provoking. Best book I've read this year. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Trafficking, War, Xenophobia, Body horror, Death, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Transphobia, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Abandonment, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Slavery

annir's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Transphobia, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, Drug use, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Classism, Islamophobia, Child death, Hate crime, Slavery, Torture, Confinement, Cursing, and Body horror

mikki_9's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, War, and Death of parent

Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, and Mental illness

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Racism, and Transphobia

jaes_dead's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book emotionally, mentally, and morally pained me to read. There was a point where I actively avoided reading this book because it had my morals clashing so much I was physically feel ill. It was an amazing read and I highly recommend this, the only reasons that its probably a 4 star rating instead of a 5 star is because its not very character driven. By saying this I don't mean that there isn't any character development, what I mean is that it feels like they are all waiting for something to happen with a very slow build up. And I think that is the point but it just didn't sit very well with me, but that might just be my own personal preference. Otherwise this was an amazing and very emotional read for me and everyone ( especially cis-men ) should read it for the fact that it delves into some very serious topics that would maybe give some cis-men a ah-ha moment.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Transphobia, and War

christycorr's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual violence

Moderate: Transphobia, Child abuse, Body horror, Medical content, and Death of parent

Minor: Trafficking and Antisemitism

adasterism's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

2.0

Really interesting premise, and extremely well written, but in the end I found Alderman's message troubling. The message of the book seems to be that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and I find her analysis of gender and gender roles lacking.

Her idea that within a decade of being physically more powerful, women would be raping and pillaging men and completely reverse the present gender dynamic, doesn't actually read to me as a very nuanced take on oppressive dynamics. It doesn't take into account the fact that this "power" would still be historically situated, and the dystopia that emerges after women get the power is completely cut off from any historical basis or analysis of how gender roles come to be, and how privilege functions. While I really enjoyed the premise and the characters at the beginning, I found it really hard to suspend my disbelief when women started raping men and the gender dynamic completely reversed, and I found the ending uncompelling.

 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, and Child death

Minor: Transphobia, Sexism, Medical content, Gun violence, and Death