Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

123 reviews

jordan_noel's review

emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.75

This is a sweet story of friendship between two sort of outsiders.

The transition from hate to love between the two characters felt kind of sudden, but their friendship was so sweet and pure that I think it makes up for it.

Maybe it's just me, but many parts felt overly, almost sickly sentimental. I felt a lot of dialogue and description of their romantic endeavors was a bit excessive. Still, it was a sweet relationship and I can get over these little flaws.

I have very mixed feelings about the ending.

The characters separate and lose touch, which of course, is normal and fine, but Eleanor began to start acting completely out of character right before this point. She was distant and rude and failed to reach out even with Park's persistent letters. Then at the end, she sends him three words (unknown to us) that somehow make him smile. I don't understand why Park would forgive her after almost a full year of her denying contact. 

I think the relationship was a chance for Eleanor to appreciate herself more, learn and grow, and become independent. And for Park, it was his first, perhaps naïve, experience in love. I do like the complexity in their different interpretations of the relationship.

These characters were likable and the end was fairly realistic. Overall, this is a sweet, hopeful book, especially for teenagers who know just how brutal high school and adolescent life can be.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Abandonment, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Eleanor's mom is in a toxic, abusive (physically and emotionally) relationship. Her husband has forces Eleanor out of the house twice. Eleanor's mom does not stick up for her daughter (or the other 4 children). People at school, as well as the husband, intensely body-shame Eleanor.

rylin_marie's review

emotional sad fast-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

3.5

this was probably one of the most depressing books i’ve read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Sexual assault, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, and Drug abuse

ermt520's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

1.25

The book had potential but I could have done without the bad attempts at discussing race (Eleanor’s POC friends talking in a way that a white author obviously thinks they’d talk, the audiobook authors doing an Asian accent for his mom, the description of his mom as a china doll). The storyline about being in an abusive household was the most compelling and the book would have been better if this Midwestern white woman author didn’t try to explore race relations when she knows nothing and it comes across super cringey and racist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Bullying, Fatphobia, Racism, and Alcoholism

that70sasexualelf's review

medium-paced

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

1.0

I read this as a 15 year old and even back then the stereotypes were clear to me. I hated it then and hated it now, though I wanted to. Womp womp. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

itsbumley's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Violence, and Bullying

Minor: Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

ivytwines's review

Rowell's treatment of the characters of color in this book is so tinged with racism that it made the book unworthwhile. Plus, the audiobook employed racist accents and impressions of Asian people.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

alexiia's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

Personally, I think this book is one not to be taken so seriously ; throughout reading this book, I could only imagine myself as a teenage girl in 2016, lying on her bed and absentmindedly kicking her legs as she reads this…

There are some… questionable lines, to say the least, and they’re dismissed almost as quickly as they are mentioned. 

It was quite nice to read, what with the teenager-y feel of the book, but it wasn’t anything particularly special in my opinion.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Child abuse

Minor: Racism

threemorechapters's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia and Bullying

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Racism

someonestia's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

0.5

first of all, the book is racist. there are a lot of xenophobic comments  made on behalf of the mc and his family. the other mc’s racism is excused as something funny or that she can’t help. Secondly, its quite slow and boring at times. its just not a good book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Domestic abuse, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Bullying, Alcoholism, and Body shaming

dianaaguilar's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Classism, Addiction, Body shaming, Racism, Fatphobia, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse