Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen

13 reviews

ccerpa's review against another edition

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Alcoholism, Classism, Animal death, and Murder

Minor: Death of parent

adearen's review

adventurous emotional informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Murder, Alcohol, Outing, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Biphobia, Classism, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Death of parent

kappafrog's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.0

I have mixed feelings about this. I read it very quickly because I wanted to find out the answer to the mystery. However, the main character had me in two minds. There were heart-wrenching aspects to his story, and there were times when it made me really smile seeing how much he was starting to accept himself. However, I did not find it enjoyable to read a character arc that consisted of "cop realises how bad the stuff he lets other cops get away with was." I'm glad he realised and learned and found a way to move forward in life, but I was with Judy on this one. It was hard to sympathzie with him, especially after

he remembered letting cops get away with raping lesbians. Jesus, that was bad, and just immediately brushed past.

I'm a little mixed on how the end played out as well. It seemed like Alice was way too obvious a candidate from the start, so I had fun thinking about which of the others it was going to be. But then when it turned out to be Alice and she was just a serial murderer, well, it was a little meh for me. The boldness of a story where almost all the characters are queer so one of them gets to be the villain without being the token queer villain got diluted by it being the only straight suspect who did it after all. A fair subversion, given the long history of queer and queer-coded villains, but less thought-provoking and innovative than it seemed at first. Also, we really just glossed over how Margo covered for her mother's murder for YEARS, and how Pearl killed a private investigator at the end of the book!

I really loved the way the setting of the house was described, with all the flowers and trees and the sense of seclusion. My favourite character was definitely Pat. I would have been happy to see more of his life! I liked the doctor-turned-bartender a lot too. Usually I gravitate towards queer women in books, especially historical ones, but it was harder to connect with the women in this book. I think it was just obvious that the author was writing what he knew with the queer men so their feelings and personalities shone through a lot more strongly than those of the women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Outing, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Animal death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Stalking, Suicide, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Medical content, Misogyny, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: War, Blood, Death of parent, Gun violence, Pedophilia, and Sexual content

barometz's review

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Biphobia, Hate crime, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Death, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Police brutality

Moderate: Self harm, Confinement, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content and Blood

cwerber's review

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I loved this book. A lavender noir, if you will. 

The main character, Andy Mills, gets kicked off the police force after being found in a raid. With no job, friends, or prospects, Andy spends his days drinking before contemplating throwing himself into the waters of San Francisco.  

That is until he is approached by Pearl to investigate the potential murder of her wife. 

There are lots of internalized homophobia and external homophobia. And violence because of said homophobia. And not like glossed over violence. You will feel each hit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Homophobia

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death, and Classism

cigarete_smoke's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Police brutality, Murder, Confinement, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Classism and Alcohol

quercine's review

dark mysterious 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

4.5

I am not easily surprised in mysteries. I usually have them figured out by the end of the first act. This one kept me guessing. The story focuses on true to reality queer struggles while remaining hopeful and determined. Themes include community versus isolation, queer perseverance, and loyalty. The protagonist is flawed but lovable, and I loved seeing him grow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Alcoholism, Hate crime, and Homophobia

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Classism

leanniefae's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Violence, Alcohol, Biphobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, and Outing

Minor: Blood, Animal death, Gun violence, Grief, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide, War, Abandonment, Classism, Confinement, and Cursing

bedtimesandbooks's review

mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Animal death, Alcohol, Classism, Hate crime, Suicide, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Alcoholism

ruthlessreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

What a gorgeous, fun, queer as hell Clue-style mystery! I loved every minute of this book. It was funny and thoughtful, hard-hitting and also tender. The writing was fantastic and I can't wait to see what the author does next. I really hope this becomes a series because I would read so much more queer pulp noir!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Police brutality, Hate crime, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Alcohol