Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - In Other Lands

Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

10 reviews

quasinaut's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

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

5.0

This is my second time reading this book and it is still such a delight. Elliot is obnoxious and lovable. He's perceptive and intelligent, while at the same time oblivious to how others' perceive him - especially as he grows and matures.

And while I adore Elliot and his (mis)adventures the most, I also deeply love how the author has built this world that's filled with magical creatures and adventure, but also militaristic hubris and sexism and xenophobia.

So good. No notes.

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fragrant_stars's review against another edition

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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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turrean's review

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

Stellar. The skewering of fantasy tropes and societal expectations was skillful, hilarious, and heartbreaking.

I started the book having read only a few reader reviews and so found myself constantly thinking I’d plumbed the story’s depths…and then having to revise.

**Just a note that I felt mislead by the occasional illustrations into thinking I was reading a book for middle graders.**

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awkwardimagination's review

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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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axel_p's review

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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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tetedump's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted 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

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m_petranoff's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

What if the child chosen from a mundane world to be trained in a magical land was fully aware of what might cause a child to abandon their home, had access to modern technology, and Opinions? This is Elliot, the mundane main character pulled into a magical school where sorcery might be fantasy, but harpies, elves, trolls, and war are very, very real. Elliot's wit and heartbreaking inability to trust make this a hilarious, moving coming of age story exploring what it means to be alone, to be loved, to explore gender roles and sexuality and also there are mermaids.

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