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tkhz's reviews
40 reviews
City of Laughter by Temim Fruchter
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure
challenging
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
4.75
Pumpkin Spice and Poltergeist by Ali K. Mulford, K. Elle Morrison
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.25
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I enjoy horror and have liked gothic literature, but this book wasn't for me.
The beginning of the book was intriguing and I enjoyed the atmosphere being created, but it began to drag about halfway through. I was becoming frustrated withNoemi's spinelessness despite being characterized as a strong female lead, and how she tried but never really tried to help Catalina escape. I thought it would end up going a different way. I also felt some Get Out vibes when the Doyles would talk about genetics and ancestry, but the reveal of their reasoning for being interested in this topic was more odd and stomach-churning than anything else. The ancestral memory scenes and scenes with Howard made me feel physically ill.
I would also not recommend this to anyone who is not comfortable with reading scenes of sexual assault. It was listed as a moderate content warning but the topic is brought up relatively frequently and is described graphically a few times. I did not expect it to play such a large role in the plot. I would also add that body horror is described very vividly.
Overall, I wanted to like this as it seemed up my alley, but the plot and characters really fell short.
The beginning of the book was intriguing and I enjoyed the atmosphere being created, but it began to drag about halfway through. I was becoming frustrated with
I would also not recommend this to anyone who is not comfortable with reading scenes of sexual assault. It was listed as a moderate content warning but the topic is brought up relatively frequently and is described graphically a few times. I did not expect it to play such a large role in the plot. I would also add that body horror is described very vividly.
Overall, I wanted to like this as it seemed up my alley, but the plot and characters really fell short.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Colonisation
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This was such an insightful and interesting read - I would recommend it to anyone who is grappling with their queerness and religion or just wants to hear from someone with a background that isn't commonly represented in lit or media.
I loved how stories from the Quran were interwoven with the story of Lamya's life and their journey to self-acceptance. Their commitment to really understanding scripture and utilizing it in a way that is not harmful or exclusionary but rather as a guiding light through dark times is admirable. I think this book can really change a lot of folks' minds about how queer people interact with religion and spirituality.
It was really eye-opening to hear from a queer hijabi POC how being in white queer spaces felt alienating due to the narratives of family ties, tradition, and religion being pushed aside in favor of self-expression. I think this is something a lot of us white queer people need to consider when creating and functioning in LGBTQ+ safe spaces; the community should have the nuance to accept people's circumstances that are different from their own, and meet them wherever they are at on their journey without judgement or projection.
I loved how stories from the Quran were interwoven with the story of Lamya's life and their journey to self-acceptance. Their commitment to really understanding scripture and utilizing it in a way that is not harmful or exclusionary but rather as a guiding light through dark times is admirable. I think this book can really change a lot of folks' minds about how queer people interact with religion and spirituality.
It was really eye-opening to hear from a queer hijabi POC how being in white queer spaces felt alienating due to the narratives of family ties, tradition, and religion being pushed aside in favor of self-expression. I think this is something a lot of us white queer people need to consider when creating and functioning in LGBTQ+ safe spaces; the community should have the nuance to accept people's circumstances that are different from their own, and meet them wherever they are at on their journey without judgement or projection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Classism