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623 reviews by:
moonyreadsbystarlight
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This is a short story that is so soft. It's about caring and loving and it has adorable art. This was like a warm, comforting cup of tea - but with little floral dragons
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a sweeping family saga full of twists. There were heavy meditations on personal identity, memory, legacy, and so much more. While the cast of characters was kind of big, it wasn't confusing or overwhelming. While there were parts I'd wanted more from, most of it was really great. It was also interesting to hear about her research process in the author's notes. I listened to this on audiobook and I quite enjoyed it. Sometimes multi-POV can be difficult for me on audio, but this one didn't give me any trouble!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Cancer, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Colonisation
Gambling addiction, being forced to give a child up for adoption, and discussion of impending climate disaster are also CWs I would add.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did read this but I no longer feel comfortable recommending anything by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Deadnaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Deportation
reflective
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Obviously, lots of details that aged poorly (it's about the south in the 1940s or 50s), plus none of the characters are really supposed to be likable. But this was a really interesting character study and look into family and really the impact of having to live within lies (and how much space lies can take up in certain dynamics)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Fatphobia, Racism, Rape, Sexism
Moderate: Pregnancy
adventurous
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
adventurous
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent
emotional
reflective
sad
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings
Minor: Pregnancy
informative
Star ratings are hard. This has a lot of neat information, but it's not a book for everyone. And the more I think about it, the more critiques I have tbh.
This history of the gender neutral pronoun was interesting. I did learn a lot - the majority of it focused on the 1800s and early-mid 1900s (though it does touch on times before and after as well). I didn't know that there was so much pronoun discourse in these early days - nor how similarly it was used politically by people (largely white men) to degrade and deflect from more tangible issues*.
This history of the gender neutral pronoun was interesting. I did learn a lot - the majority of it focused on the 1800s and early-mid 1900s (though it does touch on times before and after as well). I didn't know that there was so much pronoun discourse in these early days - nor how similarly it was used politically by people (largely white men) to degrade and deflect from more tangible issues*.
This was, however, quite repetative. I didnt mind so much in the beginning because it was a lot that I didnt know, but by the time the last chapters of the book came around, it was a little cumbersome. I think since they included the chronogy chapter, they could have cut or integrated some examples earlier in the book.
While the discussion about the past was very strong, I don't think the discussion of contemporary neopronoun usage was. That is actually what I came into the book knowing more about, so it was a little dissapointing to see how little it was engaged with when he was making his case for singular they at the very end of the book. I don't even really disagree that "they" makes the most sense as a singular gender neutral term more broadly (considering how the language has evolved organically... though I do take issue with some of his reasoning - but this review is already too long without all of that). But I don't think he engaged with current neopronoun usage enough. I don't expect it to be handled with the same rigor as the rest of the book (because his research is clearly more historical - a current look into it all would be quite different) but I think it could have been improved.
All that is to say, it has a lot of information. I found it very interesting and would recommend it to people already interested in the topic of historical pronoun usage with the caviat about repetition. However, if you're on the fence about reading a book that's about grammar and grammar seems a bit dry to you, this might not be the best one to start with (intro and first chapter are interesting if you want the main points, but the rest does get a but in the weeds).
--
*not that pronouns are unimportant. But when "but the integrity of the English language!" is the focus when women or trans people are facing, like, violence... it's pedantic at best and an accessory to violence at worst.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Deadnaming
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
I feel sort of bad criticizing a poetry collection, especially knowing how personal they can be. But I had a lot of mixed feelings about this collection.
There were some poems in this that I liked or made me feel. I thought it started really strong with the first several poems. And even on into the book, I particularly enjoyed the ones about her family members, and some in the beginning of part two.
However, some of this felt corny and politically confused. For every little bit of interesting commentary or revolutionary reference, there were three or more poems with empty liberal buzzwords/phrases that served no real end. And unfortunately, the parts that felt more trite impacted pieces that I think I could have liked alright had I seen them alone and not in context of these others.
There were some poems in this that I liked or made me feel. I thought it started really strong with the first several poems. And even on into the book, I particularly enjoyed the ones about her family members, and some in the beginning of part two.
However, some of this felt corny and politically confused. For every little bit of interesting commentary or revolutionary reference, there were three or more poems with empty liberal buzzwords/phrases that served no real end. And unfortunately, the parts that felt more trite impacted pieces that I think I could have liked alright had I seen them alone and not in context of these others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Death of parent
Moderate: Genocide, Police brutality, Religious bigotry
emotional
reflective
This is a short but compelling and poetic memoir of a family. It ripples and echoes around various ancestors to show us a partial and particular picture of the author and her family. This isnt an epic about the details of a family, but the details that are shared speak volumes about family and do paint a vivid emotional picture about the dynamics of this family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Slavery, Medical content, Murder