Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

29 reviews

garnethalo's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.75

In Jennifer Saint's Elektra, I understood the daughter. Now in Costanza Casati's book, I understand the mother, Clytemnestra. A wonderful read that had me turning the next page with both anticipation and wariness.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, and Child death

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Classism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Suicide, and Slavery

Minor: Death, Sexual assault, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Alcohol, Rape, Physical abuse, and War

A Greek myth retold. Surrounding the Trojan war. It is a Greek tragedy! Comes with the usual Greek tragedy warnings.

yilliun's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

4.25

I have seen the Oresteia play performed before, so this was a very interesting re-examination of the Greek classic for me. I think my main criticism stems from

Casati leaving out WHY Agamemnon offended the God’s and sacrificed Iphigenia. I think adding this narrative element would have made Clytemnestra’s rage EVEN MORE valid.

I think at some points Clytemnestra ends up reading as a cartoonish villain in her quest for vengeance. I do have to respect that she really played the long game in waiting to

murder her husband

. Overall, if you want a story about female rage and refusing to break for the men who believe women are weak, this is a good choice.

I found the family tree extremely helpful considering how entangled these families are. I frequently referenced it even as I got close to finishing the book, I still got confused lol

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Rape

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

It’s an adaptation of a Greek myth. These are all (unfortunately) standards for the genre, even if the version is done from a woman’s perspective.

raebae's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Incest, Death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, War, Violence, Sexism, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Confinement, Alcohol, Murder, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Addiction, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Gore, Cannibalism, Blood, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Child death, and Sexual harassment

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.

---

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

nehaanna's review

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.75

The retelling of female mythological characters is a delicate execution. This novel seeks to excavate the life and thoughts of one of the most ruthless women in Greek mythology, the wife of the ruthless king Agamemnon. This novel undertakes the retelling of Clytmnestra’s life from childhood to middle age as she rules in the absence of her husband during the famed Trojan War. This book is very similar to other feminist retelling of myths such as the novel Kaiyeki. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Grief, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Cursing, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Slavery, Blood, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, and Child death

Moderate: Alcohol, Incest, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexism

awhitacre's review

dark 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Confinement, Gore, Rape, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Death of parent, War, Blood, Slavery, Pregnancy, Murder, and Incest

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.

---

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

aimszee's review

dark emotional sad 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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child death, Violence, Sexual violence, and Rape

adayania's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Vomit, War, Blood, Incest, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Slavery, Alcohol, Grief, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

fragrant_stars's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Another book I could hardly bear to put down! I loved the writing style, and I really couldn't help but root for the main character. As a lover of Greek mythology I had some idea of how this story would unfold already, and this version of events didn't disappoint. The ending was a little more open than I'd have liked, but overall satisfying.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, War, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Sexual violence, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape

Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Cursing, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping

Minor: Colonisation, Sexual content, Torture, Animal cruelty, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Suicide, Incest, Animal death, and Bullying