Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

14 reviews

another_dahlia'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Death, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Child death, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Infertility, Trafficking, Suicide, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Colonisation, Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Biphobia, Torture, Classism, Death of parent, Transphobia, Violence, and War

lmagie's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Confinement, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Medical content

Moderate: Infertility

Minor: Murder, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, Self harm, Suicide, Sexual assault, Death, War, Abortion, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

puckeverlasting's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Genocide, and Grief

rushh's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Infertility, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Sexual content, Violence, and War

Moderate: Suicide, Death, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Murder, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Abortion, Blood, Drug use, Vomit, Cursing, and Alcohol

emfass's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I have no idea why the heck I felt inspired to re-read The Handmaid's Tale at a time with lots of other hard things going on in my life, but there you go. 

Loved Claire Danes' narration, as well as the expanded materials at the end that Atwood wrote. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Classism, Rape, Sexism, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Violence, and Infertility

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Torture, Deportation, Police brutality, Trafficking, Body horror, Sexual content, and Homophobia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Vomit, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Medical content, and War

zams's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

It seemed to be a very slow read and super slow-paced in the beginning, but picked up the pace A LOT towards the end. A gruelling outlook on how life could be in society, and a brutal reality already for countless people on the planet.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Slavery, Misogyny, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Classism, Death, Child death, Ableism, War, Violence, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Sexism, Rape, Murder, and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Blood

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Classism, Confinement, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Lesbophobia, Trafficking, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Murder, Death, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Violence, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Gun violence, Police brutality, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Miscarriage

Minor: Alcohol, Sexual content, Death of parent, Medical content, and Abortion

kmayatte's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Confinement, Rape, Kidnapping, and Misogyny

Moderate: Blood, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Racism, Abortion, Infidelity, and Murder

Minor: Antisemitism, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Trafficking

anotheranomaly_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Medical content, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Genocide, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, War, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Blood, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Police brutality, Body shaming, Cursing, and Death

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

definitely a slow burn but i liked the way it built tension somewhat exponentially with the narrator at the center of three mini rebellions—

seeing the Commander, defecting with Ofglen and Mayday, and conspiring with Serena Joy and Nick

—but in the end it didn't really amount to all that much. i love the inclusion of the "Historical Notes," they're terrible and perfect.
it's definitely white feminism, with racism in this religious-extremist totalitarian regime only mentioned once, in passing, at the very end. compared to another modern classic published just two years later, Beloved, it's kind of embarrassing.
cover design review: ★★★★☆. instant one-star deduction for having author's name larger than the title (sorry Margaret Atwood), and this is especially egregious; the title is relatively tiny. we all know minimalism has become excessive but i really like this one. the centering of the title is very satisfying, with approximately equal overhang of "HANDMAID'S" on either side of the dress. and the best part, get ready for your mind to be blown: see that dot in front of the Handmaid's head? it's the eye of a face in profile looking to the left hidden in the negative space. genius

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Classism, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Trafficking, Violence, Domestic abuse, Death, Rape, Infidelity, Misogyny, Infertility, Murder, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Animal death, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug use, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Child death

Minor: Abortion, Medical content, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Racism, War, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, and Vomit