Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

Circe by Madeline Miller

16 reviews

hammie_32's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This was really disappointing. I had a lot of hopes for a dark, reflective retelling of a myth often starring a villainous evil bitch, easily defeated. And this gets 2.5 stars ONLY because for precisely the first 50% of the book, it was the dark, captivating, sorrowful tale I was promised.

And then it turned into a shitty "feminist" novel. And I know that makes me sound gross, but it's in quotes for a reason. Because why, why does every book featuring a powerful woman always have to end up about

motherhood

? I have nothing against it, and yes, sometimes that IS a powerful statement to be made. Not like this, and not this often. If someone somewhere needs permission, you have my allowance to write a feminist, feminine power, woman-dominated, whatever else story where your main female character DOESN'T

get pregnant

!! Doesn't "

find power in nurturing

." Doesn't

use a child to remedy their own traumas

!!! Successfully might I add! It's just never the feminist statement that these authors think it is, and I'm so sick of having to read it after hearing the same sentiment shouted from the rooftops for years by young women and femmes.

I wish I could have more love for this book. But I want 500 pages of an immortal's torment at the hands of humanity. I want a narrative of her suffering on finding a few kind souls, only to be torn apart by the next pack of dogs. I want a dark assemblage of our species' sins told via a recollection of an eternal life's worth of memories. I want her to be twisted and cold and cruel and I want it to be justified because that would be real. If someone wants something happy in there, throw a Sapphic romance in at the end that doesn't "fix" her. But I can't stand to read Circe talking about the cruelties of men, cruelties of gods and goddesses, cruelties of LIFE, just to turn around and

pop out a baby

because she wishes a reprieve of her solitude.

And then she

fucks her stepson

, and that just made me mad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Blood, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, and War

empiricalrisk's review

adventurous dark emotional informative sad fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Pedophilia, and Death

ha1yan's review

emotional reflective medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Animal death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, Gore, and Blood

Moderate: War and Confinement

Minor: Pedophilia and Suicide

Two instances of graphic birth involving C-sections/surgery; description of murder by hanging; mentions of dismemberment/mutilation

james1star's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Sexism

Minor: Torture, Pregnancy, Incest, Self harm, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Bullying, Blood, Animal death, and Sexual harassment

l_e_lavalle's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

Beautiful writing with vivid descriptions! Would recommend.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Medical content, and Sexual assault

Minor: War, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, and Pedophilia

luminifera's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

I absolutely loved it. What a beautiful retelling of the myth. So many details!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Animal death, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Bullying, Child death, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Torture, Child abuse, Cursing, Rape, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, War, Self harm, Infidelity, Addiction, Incest, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Xenophobia, and Alcohol

It's a heavy book. However, very much worth the read, and

it has a happy ending!

kt2e56's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

This was such a beautiful piece of literature to read both in its language and how images were painted for us but in how it made such an epic scope of stories we’ve heard time and time again feel so personal and intimate. Ugh, I already want to read it again and I’m already wishing I can read it for the first time all over again. I hope this one remains a classic and as integral to Circe’s story as the original myths themselves.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, Body horror, Rape, Confinement, Gore, Abandonment, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, Animal death, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Slavery, Incest, Blood, Child death, Pedophilia, Torture, War, and Xenophobia

lipstickitotheman's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Animal death, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Pregnancy, Violence, Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Rape, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, and Death

Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, Self harm, Cannibalism, Antisemitism, Sexual content, Suicide, War, and Death of parent

sajjaadsahodeea's review

informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Toxic relationship, War, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Confinement

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Infidelity

thatbookishworm's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring 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

5.0

So, this is where Percy Jackson kids end up? I can’t say it’s that bad.
 This book is a 5/5 stars for me, probably because I don’t want to find fault in it. The storytelling was beautiful, and Madeline Miller managed to make her characters so messed up, but still so whole. (Also that endinggggg)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Rape, Body horror, Death, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, War, Torture, and Pedophilia