Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

8 reviews

justagirlandherbookshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense slow-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? Yes

3.5

Initially I enjoyed reading this book but around halfway through it  became tedious. I can understand the need for complex descriptions but it became a little too pedantic in its descriptors. I did push through and finish it but I will say some chapters could have been made shorter and others longer. I would be be intrigued to read more of Casati’s work when it comes out to see if it’s a topic issue or her work just isn’t for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Rape, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Murder, Racism, Suicide, Sexual content, and Pedophilia

alice_underland's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense 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

This book made me cry so much

I already knew the story of Clytemnestra going into it and Costanza Casati was able to bring so much more depth to the main character. 

Whether you’ve read the play and read a retelling or simply wanted to read about a complex and strong women character, look no further. Casanti does an amazing job of expanding on Clytenmstra’s life and of her family.
I looked forward to what books this amazing author had to bring.

I cannot state how much I cried, I normally rip through books in a day or two, but this book I had to put down and simply let my tears escape. Even before the tragedies occurred such as Iphigenia’s death i would weep. I felt like this book was written knowing that I would know what was to come and still rip the rug from beneath my feet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Confinement, War, Animal cruelty, Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Vomit

missgarceau's review

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Slavery, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Classism, Sexism, War, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Infidelity, Mental illness, Torture, and Trafficking

jessrapearce's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, Grief, Physical abuse, and Slavery

Moderate: War

Minor: Self harm and Suicide

kingsteph's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Violence, Rape, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Grief, Self harm, Lesbophobia, Blood, Death, Slavery, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Child death

heatherjchin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Animal death, War, Gore, Bullying, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Child death, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Incest, Grief, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism

enchantedelfie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Rape, Body horror, Emotional abuse, War, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Child death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Moderate: Incest, Alcohol, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Lesbophobia, Pedophilia, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse

herasrevenge88's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I enjoyed this book and wrote down a lot of quotes. I love Greek mythology and retellings, but some thing in the pacing of this book, made certain parts of it harder to get through than others. What got me through the slow parts is the fact that I already know the story of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. I am unsure if anyone who is unfamiliar with their story would be as willing to push through the slow parts of the story. However, I do feel that the writing is very well done. I was cheering Clytemnestra on even while I recoiled at some of her antics. The author does an amazing job of painting, the portrait of an actual woman not just a character of legend. Clytemnestra is flawed, but she also is very relatable and very human. I finish this book feeling like I would have probably done exactly what she had done had I lived her life and experienced these things.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Animal death, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcoholism, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Slavery, Toxic relationship, War, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, and Infidelity