Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

De droom die we delen by Sadeqa Johnson

21 reviews

annamay1021's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Infertility, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Racism, and Child abuse

jennanickle's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Medical content, Classism, Sexual assault, Abortion, Rape, Racism, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Infertility, Grief, and Miscarriage

daniber's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Abortion, Infertility, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Blood, and Bullying

thissagreads's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

There were times that book moved slower than I’d like, and I felt that the characters held back in moments they could’ve spoken up about, but that’s the 50’s & 60’s unfortunately. Because the book is historical fiction, there was some insight and knowledge gained about the old catholic boarding houses for pregnant girls (including the coercive tactics). I think I wanted more happy for both characters, and at the I got that nice “happy ending” plot twist, but it wasn’t enough. 

Ruby becomes the doctor she dreamed of, while Eleanor raises her baby unbeknownst to the both of them.

 
All in all, I thought the story was a fresh perspective with the 2 character perspectives.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Racism, and Child abuse

Minor: Racial slurs and Abandonment

Ruby got pregnant by a white Jewish boy who’s mom offered her a scholarship for college if Ruby cuts off communication with her son, AND must stay at a boarding house while pregnant, and then give her baby up for adoption. Mom keeps end of bargain so Ruby unknowingly gives her daughter up to Eleanor and her husband the elite William who’s well know in the black community in DC. Eleanor has already lost 3 babies -before the baby can be brought to term- and her mother-in-law suggests adoption from the boarding house to William unbeknownst to Eleanor- and William suggests it to Eleanor who says yes even though she’s riddles with guilt and shame for not being able to carry full term.

mcfeinics's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Racism, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Infertility, and Sexual violence

Minor: Confinement, Vomit, Rape, Alcoholism, and Abortion

jazful's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Classism, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Death, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Colonisation, Drug use, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Blood, Bullying, and Colonisation

itsawrapxx's review against another edition

4.5

I thoroughly enjoyed this! Pretty early on in the book, it was easy to see how both character's story would cross. It was an engaging story nonetheless,  I couldn't put the book down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment and Infertility

enlamont's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Miscarriage, and Infertility

Moderate: Grief, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Racism, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Sexual content

ruffian23's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Infertility, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, and Racism

Minor: Slavery and Rape

heatherr's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This was a very good book but it was one that was difficult for me to read. I have strong feelings about the subject matter and watching the characters make bad choices was getting me anxious and angry. 

I've never been a person who can understand why anyone would sacrifice their goals for sex. I know that probably makes me the strange one. But watching a character who has a way to go to college if she keeps attending a honors program risk it all to have sex with a guy before reliable birth control, was horrifying to me. 

Eleanor gave up her goals for a relationship also. She wanted to be an archivist. She was on her way when she ends up getting engaged to a man whose family and social circle hates her because she is middle class from Ohio and darker skinned than they are. She feels like she has to go along in order to be accepted. It makes her a doormat and I spent most of the book wanting her to tell everyone off. 

The book does a great job of comparing and contrasting the different social classes of 1950s Black society. Ruby is poor. Eleanor was considered comfortable in her home town but has moved to D.C. and meets the Black elite. They look down on her as obviously inferior. This confuses her because she has never seen herself in that way. It makes her lose all her confidence. 

Ruby is constantly being looked as a potential sexual conquest by men around her. She's a young teenager but isn't being allowed to just live her life. This quote hit hard. 

I turned my fork over on my plate wondering why it was always my responsibility to worry over what grown men might be thinking. I had been hearing it all my life. Even back to when I lived with Nene, as a flat-chested eight-year-old, I was constantly reminded to be modest. Not to leave the bathroom without my robe on when an uncle or cousin or friend of the family was at the house, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer.

I loved Ruby's aunt. She is a Black butch lesbian who takes Ruby in whenever Ruby's mother decides that she is tired of being a mother. That happens often enough that Ruby has a key to her aunt's house. Her aunt is also always on Ruby's side in the most practical ways. 

When I told Aunt Marie about my decision, she had the owner of Kiki’s draw up a contract stating all the facts and promises we had agreed upon. When she brought the papers home for me to sign, she explained her thinking. “White folk got short memories. This way there ain’t no room for funny business. Ain’t trying to go to jail for kicking a white woman’s ass.” 

Ultimately it was the realism of this book that made it hard for me to read. I just wanted better for everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment