Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Lui che annegò il mondo by Shelley Parker-Chan

145 reviews

cheye13's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional tense slow-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: Yes

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Cohering my thoughts about this book and the duology together is a herculean challenge. It was not a pleasant reading experience, in that horrible things are happening to all characters at all times. It is one of my favorite books in that a vice was slowly, constantly contracting around my lungs until I finished it.

Even more so than the previous book, the transness in this one is tangible. A number of lines were clearly written in response to current events in our world. The interweaving of the ensemble is just as masterful as the first book. Beginning this book, I was afraid that it would fall short because my favorite element of book one couldn't continue (

that being the ouyang/esen relationship, when one of them is dead

), but my fears were unfounded. Not only did that thread continue, but it was intensified amongst other threads.

My options discussing this book are to break it down entirely and speak at length, or to simply say it's magnificent, and I suppose I'll settle for the latter.

(I strongly recommend checking content warnings. If you would prefer not to, keep the tone and events of book one in mind and know book two pushes a little bit further.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide

Minor: Cursing, Infertility, Trafficking, Abortion, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Dysphoria

A number of characters rely on dissociation as a coping mechanism. Especially compared to the previous book, there is quite a bit of on-page sex. While technically on page, it is almost never graphically detailed. Additionally (and fitting for the setting), it almost always falls into the dicey consent grounds of transactional sex – e.g. a lesbian actively choosing to sleep with a certain man for money or power. There is a single rape scene, and again, while on-page, it's brief and sparsely detailed.

keetham's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark hopeful tense 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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Incredible second book to the duology. All the stories are wrapped so well, the threads from the beginning all fully coming to their place. Queer murderous imperial China that I didn’t know I needed. Ended 2023 perfectly

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War

This is a book mostly about war and colonialism so, while well done and worth it in most cases, it’s not an easy read

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Vomit, Death of parent

its_thekla's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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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Not an easy read but a worth while one. This finale took everything SWBTS started and finished it with such a freaking bang. The whole thing, for being a nearly 500 page book, read like nothing. Has awful as all the main POV characters are I couldn't walk away from it. Literally- I finished this in less than 36 hours with an insane 2 year old. Not only does this make me want to go back and start the whole duology over again, I'm now interested in how the audiobook plays out. 

Read this duology. Mind the triggers. It's a terrible time- you'll love it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent

andtheywereroommates's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, War

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol

Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders

aileron's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-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

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Dysphoria

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Slavery, Excrement, Death of parent

chickenmidwife's review against another edition

5.0

emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Outing

Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny

tiernanhunter's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail

samants's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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: Yes

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Better than She Who Became the Sun, this book really picked up at around the 20-30% mark. I was struggling for the first part of the book, especially because I didn't remember the plot of She Who Became the Sun very well, but once I got in the groove of things it trotted along nicely.

Take a shot every time you read:

• "Hungry ghosts"
• "Trotted"
• "Behatted"
• "Curious"

Also: I think I would have liked this more if the absolute psychological torment undergone by the characters wasn't described so lushly. The prose got a little purple at times, describing people's internal suffering. It was a bit much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror

bootrat's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional 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

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Dysphoria

Minor: Miscarriage