Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Circe by Madeline Miller

387 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

mbelle97's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.0

This book was beautifully written, but brutally difficult to read. I'm glad I got through it, it was a fascinating story, but I'm left a bit emotionally exhausted 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Abandonment, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

Moderate: War

yasminao's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexism, Torture, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Confinement, Infertility, Pregnancy, and War

emilymazzara's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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

5.0

Who are we kidding, everything Madeline Miller touches is gold. This is exactly how the myth of Circe deserved to be handled and I cannot imagine any other outcome. 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars!! I’m too overwhelmed to make a more comprehensive review come out in words. Just…FIVE STARS

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Violence, War, and Torture

tgutauskas's review

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror and Violence

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

zhalfia's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy and Sexual violence

letheii's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

there was a quote i wanted to include in this review but i forgot to note it down!!! 
this book summarises what it is like to be a woman in both fictional and real world

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Abandonment, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Body horror

inkwellimps's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Would have been a 5/5, but I didn't care for the ending. The lead character ends up

with the half-brother of her son. I know it's normal for gods, but reading it in a modern context is "ick" to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Misogyny, Body horror, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, and Fire/Fire injury

lauramcc7's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective fast-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Abandonment, Rape, Violence, Death, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Body horror, Animal death, and Infidelity

mmanuel's review

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Sexual violence, Murder, Infertility, Torture, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Rape, Death, Confinement, Child death, and Toxic relationship