Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko

9 reviews

bkwrm1317's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

Such an interesting and refreshing portrayal of an Aboriginal family. As the artist cover wrote (I couldn’t say it better myself): “Even on a flash motorbike, wearing a leather jacket, we belong right where our ancestors have been for generations…”

Kerry and her mob are brilliant, even Elvis the dog and Orange Cat. Her complicated feelings for her family and their trauma, the racism and colonialism they experience in their small community in Bundjalung country, and structural inequity experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are explored on every page of this novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual violence, Addiction, Incest, Rape, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Abortion

wetdirtreads's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Racism, Animal death, Colonisation, Grief, Rape, Death, Child abuse, Incest, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Homophobia, Ableism, Racial slurs, Cultural appropriation, Alcoholism, and Misogyny

Minor: Abortion and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

raphynette's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Abortion, Sexual violence, Rape, Colonisation, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Racism, Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Violence, Terminal illness, and Drug use

readwithchar's review

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Mental illness, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Rape, Vomit, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Violence

Minor: Abortion and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

seanamcphie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

not sure why she was made to be ostensibly a lesbian in the first place since it had little bearing on the story and she quickly started a relationship with a random white dude. it felt very weird to start the story off with her describing herself and being described as a dyke and a lezzo and then continuing to call herself that to other ppl when she was dating a dude? i don’t know why the author didn’t just make her straight if she wasn’t intending on actually exploring bisexuality. like it was so random. she goes out jogging one day and bumps into a hot guy she once went to school with and immediately the narrative starts cataloguing and detailing all his muscles and physical attractiveness and how much the main character wants to fuck him with no introspection at all on the narrator’s part. just very random.

this book was incredibly funny but also shocking and really pulled no punches when examining being indigenous and racism and colonisation. i found the quips and banter between characters to be engaging and was really hypnotized by the audiobook narrator’s portrayal of the characters, especially pretty mary. i think the strength of the dialogue and the pointed insights embedded in the prose helped to make the darker and more heartbreaking elements sit properly, and i came away from this book with a lot to think about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Animal death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Classism, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Slavery, Terminal illness, Genocide, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts

maduvanthivenkatesan's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, and Animal death

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Misogyny

Minor: Abortion and Death of parent

sadie26w's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Grief, Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Murder, and Vomit

anouks_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Gun violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug use

Minor: Abortion, Homophobia, and Miscarriage

bookdragon217's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

"Too much lip, her old problem from way back. And the older she got, the harder it seemed to get to swallow her opinions. The avalanche of bullshit in the world would drown her if she let it; the least she could do was raise her voice in anger."

Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko was about Kerry, a black queer Aboriginal woman who comes home after many years because her grandfather is dying and she needs to help save their ancestral land. Kerry is not your typical protagonist. She lives life on her terms, rides a motorcycle and commits some crimes of survival along the way. She's considered the black sheep of the family because she has "too much lip". She's not afraid to take up space and use her voice. 

This book was funny but also heartbreaking at the same time. The author tackled difficult topics in a lighthearted way. Each character was flawed, complex and redeemable. The pacing was perfect for when the secrets were finally revealed. I gained perspective about the Indigenous experience of the Goorie people and I can definitely see similarities in overarching themes relevant to the conversation of white supremacy and colonialism. There was also a cute romance that blossomed that did not take away from the core of the novel.

Themes that resonated with me were:

-Black and Indigenous people are not safe anywhere on the globe and police brutality continues to plague their communities at higher rates.

-Generational trauma from removal, genocide and forced assimilation continues to plague Indigenous communities. Alcoholism and mental health are a direct result.

-Sacred lands of Indigenous people continue to be a target of capitalism.

-Women continue to be oppressed by misogyny and patriarchy. When women do not confirm they face threat of violence or are given negative labels.

If you're a fan of wise cracking, swearing like a sailor, badass protagonist types, this one's for you. I'm sad I have to return it to the library because I loved this one. This was a great choice for book club because this one packs a punch and brings up lots of themes to explore for discussion. It will be hard for me to stop thinking about Kerry and her family. 

Rating: 4.5 🔥

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Racism

Minor: Sexual content