Reviews tagging 'Deadnaming'

The Free People's Village by Sim Kern

17 reviews

bugle's review against another edition

inspiring 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? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Police brutality, and Transphobia

Moderate: Grief, Gaslighting, Addiction, Deadnaming, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Sexual violence

Minor: Antisemitism

bobbi's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Blood, Grief, Vomit, Gun violence, Rape, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Deadnaming and Transphobia

mxfahrenheit's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Police brutality, Vomit, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Rape

Moderate: Classism, Violence, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Colonisation, and Deadnaming

Minor: Body shaming, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

roaming_reader's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

I first heard about this book on TikTok and Instagram from the author themselves and I wanted to pick it up. I am a big fan of Sim Kerns's social media posts and wanted to see if I would be a fan of their writing as well. Turns out I definitely am. This novel is set in an alternate USA timeline, during which Al Gore won the 2000 election and instead of a War on Terror, we were set on the War on Climate Change. It's something that sounds like a utopia, when in actuality, there are so many systemic issues that are masked by "saving the planet". Maddie as a main character was a great one to lead readers through, because her self discovery and learning journey felt reflective of what many people went through in 2020 during the BLM protests after the murders of George Floyd and Brianna Taylor. I did think that the commentary on systemic racism was a bit surface level. I saw another review that called it "entry level" for white people, and I have to agree with it. I enjoyed the discussions on transness and gender identity in the book and thought that the cast of characters was extremely diverse. They were fleshed-out so much that I would love a novel from each person's perspective. This book is enjoyable and really makes you think. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Homophobia, Police brutality, Racism, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Rape, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Slavery

sky130's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

This book starts out kind of slow, but make no mistake: by the end, you will be rapt and horrified, watching it spiral out of control and knowing full well it will end badly. It's like watching a train wreck - it's violent and tragic and you can't look away for a second. For all the painful turns the story takes, it never feels like the violence and misfortune is written in just for the sake of tormenting the characters. Unfortunately, it's pretty true to life despite being speculative fiction. I would still really recommend checking the trigger warnings, as the book is an absolute onslaught of trauma of every variety. If you feel like you can handle that, I would give this book a shot. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Drug use, and Racism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Violence, War, Rape, and Addiction

Minor: Colonisation and Deadnaming

hankatcol's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Violence, Homophobia, Gun violence, Drug abuse, and Addiction

Moderate: Rape, War, Vomit, and Deadnaming

anxiousutopian's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Police brutality

Moderate: Death, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Rape, Alcoholism, Deadnaming, Racism, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Vomit, and War

lettuce_read's review

challenging emotional

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, and Deadnaming

Minor: Transphobia

nolalee's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I will think about Sim Kern's The Free People's Village for the rest of my life. There is nothing I love more than a near-future grounded science fiction novel and the setting for this book is perfect. Based in the alternate timeline where Al Gore won the 2000 election, we follow a member from the fictional punk band Bunny Bloodlust as they navigate their identity, their past and their own current dystopian reality in America.

This book is challenging and beautiful. Desperately sad and hopeful. It is often a reflective and embarrassingly funny ride for anyone who has been active in a demonstration for change.

I feel this book is best read without too many details up front. Just experience it and join The Free People's Village.
Show quoted text

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Classism, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, and Mental illness

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual assault

aeons_v_atlas's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense slow-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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Death, Rape, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Racism, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Slavery, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Colonisation, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Transphobia, and Vomit