Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Black Water Sister

Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

139 reviews

villiljos's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

I didn't know anything about this book before diving in and so I had no expectations - and I loved it so much! The main character's tense relationship to her family and to her own sense of self plays around a powerful story of spirit work, ancestors and capitalistic gentrification. Having started doing a lot of spirit and ancestor work (from a very different cultural and ethnic background), I loved seeing all of the similarities the author describes within that work as well as the clear differences. The cultural context of the book is very specific to Malaysia, and at the same time, the struggles of the old world - folk stories, old buildings, spirits, respect for the wisdom that comes with age and experience - versus the new world - expansion, gentrification, sameness, capitalism - is universal enough that it's easy to relate, even as someone who knows very little about Malaysia.

The main character is insistently focused on her own powerlessness and lack of understanding, which can get a little bit annoying at times. She has clear reasons for being resistant to what's happening, but it's a trope I personally am tired of. By the second half I just want to shake her and tell her to accept what's happening! But there is clear progress throughout the book, and the other characters are well written and relatable.

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natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

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adventurous 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

4.0

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cozyscones's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective 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

4.5

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domatilla's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense medium-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

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scribewarden's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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

4.5

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samants's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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

4.0

Bumped up from 3.75 stars due to just how relatable this was. The relatable/personal aspects of this book were by far the most compelling parts. It's wild to feel so understood from a book.

On the other hand, though the overall plot was good, and I saw how the narrative arc led to the conclusion the book had (for example,

I thought her not ending up friends with Sherng made sense

), at times I felt like I had missed something or skipped a step -- I just got lost sometimes with what was happening.

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