Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

355 reviews

marissasa's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

I read this classic not knowing anything about it other than that it had a dystopian setting that was very oppressive to women, and I feel like that short description sums up the extent of its social commentary. I wasn't really impressed or moved by the narrative, and while there were a few interesting moments and characters, for the majority of the book I was just bored. I felt like there were a lot of questions and not a lot of answers in this story, and even the answers that were given didn't feel compelling or deep. I am writing this review about a month late after I finished the book and the fact I can barely remember details about it just emphasizes how little this book impacted me or left any kind of memorable impression.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Bullying, Grief, Sexual content, Torture, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault

kjwalkerrr19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? No

5.0

This book is a masterpiece of writing and detail. When she says in her introduction of the 2017 rerelease that I read, “God is in the details; but so is the devil”, she meant that shit! I’ve never read a book so capable of uniquely, attentively, and consistently details everything about every setting. Smell, texture, props, history, just truly everything. At times I was getting lost in the detail and zoning out, and I’d have to zone back in. 

My hot take for this book is I didn’t find it as shocking as I was expecting to because of the horrors I’ve lived through myself as a woman in the United States the past 3 years, so it made the book more realistic, which is so sad to say. I was disappointed by my lack of surprise from the capabilities of the new government of this book because my own has already let me down so much. 

I think Margaret Atwood is a genius for this book, and no wonder it’s a classic and is studied. It is a stunning piece of literature with historical accuracy and religious notes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Rape, Torture, Violence, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexism

bradenchu's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual assault

renorsomethin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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

Graphic: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Infidelity, Homophobia, Suicide, Miscarriage, Child death, Abortion, Confinement, Trafficking, Antisemitism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Rape, Violence, Islamophobia, Medical content, and Animal death

christinewonder's review

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Torture, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Murder, Confinement, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Police brutality

Minor: Vomit, Miscarriage, and War

lexithelion's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.75

Margaret Atwood's writing skill is impeccable, there is absolutely no doubt about that. However, I can acknowledge when a book is simply not for me. Nothing much plot-wise happens in this book as it is more meant, I feel, to embody the bleakness of Offred's situation and the world she is living in. This book is dreary and bland, as the lives of the handmaids are, thus it is an incredible book in that it completes its purpose and makes you feel as though you are living in Gilead. This book is pretty boring, but that seems to be the point. It took me longer than usual to finish this book but if you enjoyed reading it, you would probably also enjoy the TV show.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Pregnancy, Death, Infertility, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Suicide

Moderate: Medical content, Blood, and War

gawdz0rz's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Rape

Moderate: Death, Infertility, and Suicide

Minor: Murder

lauren625's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Medical content and War

rchulin1's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow I loved this book immensely. It is very dark but so worth it every sentence word paragraph was so well thought out and placed I found myself imagining all the reasons for each placement though this book is on the shorter side the story feels so long in a good way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, War, Violence, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Classism, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Medical content, Miscarriage, Child death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, Deportation, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Confinement, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

greenan26's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Infertility, Death, and Sexism

Moderate: Slavery, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Mental illness, Police brutality, Suicide, Gore, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Genocide, and War

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Self harm