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Latest Censorship News: Goodreads Can't Take Criticism, Badly Behaved Social Network?
Reviews are being deleted for being “potentially off-topic” – code for “being critical of GR” and for being “non-original content” despite permission given from original reviewers.
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From AnnaLund: Who I am—and why Goodreads has pissed all over it
As long as South Africa enforced Apartheid, I refused to buy produce marked Made in S.A.
When France started bombing the Mururoa atolls with nuclear bombs in 1994, I stopped buying French wine, cars, and clothes.
I buy shade grown, Fair Trade coffee.
My detergents are certified.
The fruit and vegetables I buy mostly come from local producers who use ecological standards for growing them.
The little meat I buy comes from certified farmers who let their animals have lives before becoming my food.
I stopped shopping in a beautiful place when I heard the owner saying hateful, hateful things about gay people.
I turned down an extremely well-paid translation job because the client was Exxon.
I bring my hard-earned cash to those I believe are trying their best to do the right thing.
It is all I can do to try to make the world a better place, small things, but they matter to me.
This list could go on and on, but I think you’ve gotten the idea by now.
But. But. But.
Goodreads, you pissed on all my good actions.
Goodreads, you pissed on my taking a stand, making informed decisions as to where my money should go.
Suddenly, in this one field of my life, I am not allowed to have a conscience, or put my money where my mouth is.
No, Goodreads, you want me to ignore any fuquery an author may commit on his or her “free” time, because you say it has no bearing on the product, which is his or her book. Even if the author is a raving gay-bashing lunatic.
Well, excuse me Goodreads. You have just not understood one single, fucking thing about me.
Not one.
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Sarah Goodwin is such a fabulous writer- her stories are real (although this one required a small suspension if disbelief), gritty, and they resonate with you long after you've finished reading them.
Wow - no reviews yet?Alright- ill take off my lazy shoes for this one. It's only right, given the lovely piece Henry chose to gift us with. So, if you haven't read this, and haven't read the warnings, go do that. Hmmm.. not sure where i read them, but they were there. rape, torture, etc. I'm not going to recap the plot, because I think it's better if the reader just experiences it as it unfolds. For those of you wanting to know how bad the content really is.... Well it's hard to say. The bad stuff is certainly present, and gritty, but doesn't have the same reality or sense of presence that say... Nunn's works do. Which isn't a negative- the author's tone and representation of the "bad" tithings fit perfectly within the story.
For all of you that remain, this was really a lovely, haunting piece. Can I say lovely for a story that contains the aforementioned content? Too bad- deal with it, because it really was. Lovely. Lisa Henry writes in a haunting, almost surreal , or removed tone for this story. Every word essential, necessary to the story- but beyond that, placing the reader in a state similar to that (which must be) experienced by the MC. Confusion,..rebellion, revulsion, a need for a connection- for humanity. A desire for tenderness. More confusion. And certain.. Disconnectedness. Where the story truly succeeded was in pulling the reader in to experience that same ethereal floaty quality where things do t necessarily make sense. But do they have to?
I loo once stories that address or play with the psychology associated with kidnapping, torture, or rape, and this story does exactly that, without spelling every single detail out for the reader. Sometimes the mystery or allusion is where all the fun is.
So yes-I'm struggling to put the experience into words. So just read it. I highly recommend it.
I was really nervous about this one, primarily because I've never read Sunday before, but I really wanted this to be a great book- the blurb was interesting, it had great reviews, etc. for whatever reason, when all those things combine, I usually end up feeling let down by reading a perfectly adequate book that didnt really fully engage my emotions.Fortunately, the author hit this one out of the park. The connection between the characters was well-developed and believable, almost all of the characters were completely realistic and easy to build a connection to through there strengths/weaknesses/overall personality. Even better, the main relationship was drawn out enough and had juuuusttt the tight amount of tension/discord to make my little heart putter patter.
This was a highly enjoyable GFY story, so much so that I'm off to search out more of Sunday's stories. So I'll see you in another review, mayhap ;)
Brad Boney is really growing on me.In this second book, Brad highlights a relationship between a young, previosuly self-identified straight mechanic (and aspiring musician), Topher and an older, renowned gay music critic, Stanton. A chance meeting ends up with the two attending a Springsteen concert and a spontaneous kiss that kicks off an interesting relationship. That relationship has some unexpected parallels with one Stanton experienced more than twenty two yeas ago, and much of the books conflict centers around these similarities
The story has some unconventional subject matter (spirituality/religion/mysticism) that I really haven't seen much in M/M. In addition, that theme is handled in such a down-to-earth way that it really didn't generate eye rolls or utter disbelief, as such subject matter may do for those readers who are more cynical. Further, Brad really did an excellent job in the first half of the book weaving together threads from the two stories. I very much enjoyed that aspect.
Besides the above, what I really enjoyed about the book was twofold: the exposure/knowledge to and of music that is sprinkled throughout the story and the author's generally understated, but highly entertaining, sense of humor.
Best part: "Good golly? No one says good golly in bed. I would have stopped reading right there"
Go read the reviews for 'The Nothingness of Ben", if that means nothing to you.
The author's use of casual or regional language has toned down a bit from his prior book, although its certainly still present (but adds character to the book and people). The sex scenes are still fairly forthright (less romantic than typically seen in this genre). Overall though, I really enjoyed this book.
Oh, general tags (if you made it down this far) are large age difference and AIDS. I won't add the third- it's too spoiler-ey. Oh, and GFY-ish.
