Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

15 reviews

fragrant_stars's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad slow-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

4.25

This book was truly a delight to read, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I only sort of wish the main character had been slightly less terrible to other people but by the end he did make up for it sufficiently in my opinion. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Alcohol, War, Child abuse, Xenophobia, and Grief

Minor: Gun violence, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Body horror, Infertility, Bullying, Death, Slavery, and Violence

awkwardimagination's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I was not planning on finishing this book in about one day. But it was simply too good. I say it a lot but I'm not a fan of romance - I was incomprehensible while watching my ship become end game. This book was equal parts hilarious as it was heartbreaking. It has comedy and wit in every other line and it could very easily turn people off, but I absolutely loved every second of it. It served it's purpose well, too, as I was not expecting this book to be so vocal about issues that no one was talking about loudly in 2014(?) or at least not like we do now- gender roles, war and the importance of diplomacy, colonization. I also was not expecting to have abandonment issues and my own self-worth issues laid out for me like a horrible palm reading but that's fine (it made me cry). The genderswap was a bit jarring for me at first, until I realized it's purpose and it still made me feel uncomfortable, but if it were how it is irl I would've felt the same so mission accomplished. 

I went into this book expecting a story about mermaids and growing up told by a snarky 13 yr old. Instead I got that, plus a story about the devastation of war and knowing too well how to make other people hurt you, before they decide to do it themself. And I was not dissappointed in the slightest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Sexism, War, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Bullying, Biphobia, and Colonisation

Minor: Animal death

axel_p's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-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

4.0

Elliot is literally me

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Confinement, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, War, Alcohol, Homophobia, Outing, Racism, Biphobia, Body horror, Xenophobia, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Slavery, and Violence

phantomgecko's review against another edition

adventurous funny fast-paced

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

4.0

Firstly, I appreciate stand alone novels.

Secondly, you need to accept that the main character is unrealistically mature in certain areas and childish in others. And that's okay. Elliot embodies the ideals of an unprejudiced person (not racist, not sexist, not homophobic) and treats breakups, friend zones and rejection with grace and acceptance. This is not a book about a guy struggling with his sexuality. He knows what he likes and it's fine with him.

He's not a perfect character; he just has different faults. He's actually kinda an antihero because he's an obnoxious jerk.

Also, the magic land (that doesn't actually have magic, just creatures) is fascinating. From the only slightly hyperbolic matriarchal elves to the realistically colonial and species-ist humans to the choice in creatures in general. Harpies and mermaids are not usually included as sentient races in fantasy like this. I'd expect centaurs and, like, fairies or something to come first. Love it.

This book is funny. I commend that.

Relationships are a huge part of the book. Platonic, familial, and romantic. All the romance-y bits are like high school drama mixed with college drama, neither of which I care for. A lot of the love drama drives the plot, so it is necessary...to an extent. The love bits stretched on longer than I was interested. Thus four stars instead of five.

Still, a good read. Happy pride.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Sexual harassment, War, Bullying, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship

wizardowl's review

challenging emotional funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexism, War, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Abandonment, Biphobia, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, and Child abuse

Minor: Sexual content

friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense 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

I cannot describe in words how much i love this book. I need more people to read it. Just do yourself a favour and read it with a friend. Otherwise you will explode. I read this with a friend and she thanked me so much.

 This book is entirely character based. Do not expect to understand worldbuilding or plot until later in the book. The dialugues and proze are next level amazing. I cannot describe how amazing and real the characters feel. This is *the* definition of coming of age. 

Everybody needs to experience this book, especially teens, especially gifted kids, but everyone. Do yourself a favor, get a friend, and read it together. 

I have never saved so many passages in my life. You will want these words and situations forever in your brain.
And it's so gay.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, Gaslighting, and War

Moderate: Racism, Body horror, and Sexual content

Minor: Body shaming, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Kidnapping, Medical content, Self harm, Torture, Alcohol, Biphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Outing, and Sexual harassment

sssssoup's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Child death, Toxic relationship, War, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol, Gun violence, Homophobia, Biphobia, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Medical content, Self harm, and Sexual content

ehmannky's review

emotional funny 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

4.5

 A really funny take on portal fantasies/magical schools, with a healthy dose of exploring the ways that words can hurt or heal. I loved Elliot, and Serene and Luke were also just so fun to read. And the theme of how scary it is to admit that you are worthy of love, of allowing others to know and care for you? Excellent. I had so much fun reading this book, though I agree with a lot of the other reviews that it was around 50-70 pages too long (though I cannot figure out what I would have cut since I thoroughly enjoyed every scene).

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Violence

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny slow-paced

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

4.5

This book was a bit of a slog, but quite endearing. I liked watching the characters grow, and I liked the self-aware nature of the narrative. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Blood, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Sexism, Abandonment, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, Ableism, Medical content, Suicide, Slavery, Misogyny, Cancer, Incest, and Cursing

Neglect, Self-loathing

stefaniajoy's review

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.75

 "Don't speak to me like that, I'm an impressionable child."

Absolutely hilarious. This was one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. It was also had moments of poignancy. We follow the main character Elliot from ages 13-17. Due to childhood neglect, he doesn't really know how to interact with others, so he's often super rude (but in a very entertaining way.) Lots of social commentary and laugh-out-loud moments. The only thing I didn't like was

how Elliot calls Luke 'loser' throughout the whole book. It felt too over-the-top for me. I wished he'd stopped calling him names sooner. I did also think it dragged a bit in the last third or so; it was obvious to me that Luke's crush on Dale wasn't real, so the fact that Elliot clung to that and made so many decisions based on that one fact felt frustrating.

Overall, I loved this. It also had great LGBTQ rep! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Abandonment