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madamelacy's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexism
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Medical content, Blood, and Body horror
Minor: Trafficking, Xenophobia, and War
knupselmaus's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: War, Sexism, Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Slavery, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, and Child death
leaknezevic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Death, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Genocide, Sexual violence, Child death, Blood, Sexism, Rape, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Torture, Stalking, Drug use, Slavery, War, Violence, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Hate crime, Gore, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Grief, Vomit, and Excrement
haileearynn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug use, Sexual violence, War, Child abuse, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Violence, Genocide, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Religious bigotry, Rape, Trafficking, Slavery, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Death, and Colonisation
phantomgecko's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Imagine Lord of the Flies but on a worldwide scale. The absolute worst humanity has to offer. Every character is a sociopath (to varying degrees). It says people are essentially bad. Specifically women are essentially bad.
I know hyperbole is used to make a point, but this was just disgusting. Like, some possible morals of this story are power corrupts, or feminism is about equality and not supremacy. I guess.
In this story, apparently when women gain physical power over men, they lose all sense of morals, get significantly more stupid, and suddenly super into cults and cocaine. You can argue, "not all women" in this story. It does mention that not everyone is into the sadistic hellscape that's created. But like, obviously enough women that earth turns into a sadistic hellscape.
Also, offensive that women are in power for a mere five years or so before they blow up the entire planet. We made it through decades of the cold war with "men in charge." It perpetuates the hateful idea that women are "too emotional" and not to be trusted with diplomacy or rational thought.
Would some people abuse a power like this? Yes. The revenge stories ring plausible. But to switch all the way over to being "as bad as men" have ever been (IN FIVE YEARS) is pessimistic garbage. Author obviously has no faith in humanity. Depressing, nihilistic bs.
Like...women don't all secretly hate men. In reality, many women have healthy relationships with men either as friends or lovers. Women aren't just pretending to like men because they're being subjugated or whatever. I cannot fully express how detestable Alderman's vision of women is.
There are multiple rape scenes, one of them explicit. Again, I get that a point is being made, but it's vile.
I'm giving this the benefit of the doubt re: the voice in Mother Eve's head. Girl is schizophrenic and not being visited by a higher power. The implications otherwise are just really nasty.
And finally, I believe there is a balance to be found in profanity. For maximum effect, it should be used strategically. "But that's how people talk" --I don't care. In fiction, characters don't always talk the way real people do. And having the f word repeated willy nilly honestly lends a childish tone to the book. Like the author is a kid that's so excited to learn a new swear. Grow up. Learn nuance.
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Sexual assault, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Confinement, Drug abuse, Sexism, Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, War, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, and Trafficking
readinbythesea's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Torture, Sexual violence, Murder, and Pedophilia
kk_gotit_goinon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Addiction, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Slavery, Torture, War, Violence, Abandonment, Classism, Death, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexism, Drug abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
lesemaus2303's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Death, Bullying, Child death, Blood, Genocide, and Torture
cjblandford's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked the concept of the victors writing the history, and how prehistory is nothing more than circumstantial evidence and hypothesis. The old cliche about those who control the past also control the future rings true here. But back to the main point of the book: absolute power corrupts absolutely. I felt that it was a bit heavy-handed with the violence, but as soon as women gained more power than men in this novel, all of the violence that men did to women in the past, were revisited to them, only more so. The book was not subtle about making its point. Its just too bad the execution of this concept wasn't as solid as it could have been.
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Religious bigotry, Rape, Body horror, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Blood, Sexual assault, Sexism, Death of parent, and Sexual content
hannahmdejong's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Minor: Child death, Violence, Torture, Death, Rape, War, and Sexual violence