Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

50 reviews

marahasenstaub's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Religious bigotry

madelinequinne's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Deadnaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Abandonment

sydapel's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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? No

3.5

 For me, this is an issue of form rather than subject matter. Perhaps because I was reading this knowing it would become a movie, but I struggled heavily with how limited this feels textually, particularly as it's through a male perspective. Which I know is part of the point, and I would have fun arguing about that in an English classroom. 

If you're looking for an really profound philosophical debate about faith, forgiveness, guilt, anger and difficult choices that women living in deeply patriarchal societies face, this excels. It's hard to digest, especially knowing it's based on reality, so please do check trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood and Excrement

linguaphile412's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Ableism, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Minor: Incest, Vomit, and Pregnancy

lauowens's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry

ismerene's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

My review will echo others. In short, this is an deadened, back-and-forth circular discussion on the topic of whether to leave or stay in light of horrific abuse, all viewed through a religious Mennonite lens. The story throws some jabs, and the ending did pull some heartstrings, but ultimately I'm left confused and annoyed.

I think the biggest misstep in this novel that cascaded into other issues is the method of which the story is told. No speech is direct. Everything, save for our narrator, is spoken in passive statements, and it serves to deaden a lot of emotion about the situation at hand, as well as removing a large bit of personality from each character. There were a few moments of creepy, chill-up-your-spine implications and sudden, graphic depictions - all of which had heavier impact due to the otherwise banal narration - but overall it only served to turn much of the story into a slog.

The narrator's gender didn't bother me as much as his long-winded inserts did. Separate from him explaining certain cultural nuances, the insert of his background or his encounters outside the meeting felt frustrating. What really chapped my hide however were the comments and odes about one character he pines for. In the context of what this novel is centered on, it comes across as almost... creepy. It's all soft and emotional, but like, she's pregnant because she was raped. I'm not sure if this is to grow the narrator's character, or to illustrate a statement on men overall, but either way it was, also, annoying. 

Based on other reviews, it seems as if the choices made here were stylistic, in which case I can confidently say the style is not for me. I think if this had been handled a bit differently, and maybe some choices - in narrator, particularly - were changed, this would be rated much higher. As it stands however, I didn't much care for it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

izgetsbetter's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny and Religious bigotry

Minor: Sexual assault

evanlyn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

bookforthought's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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

A poignant, reflective and profoundly inspiring read on the patriarchy and the power of resistance, community and love. For such a short book, it takes its time but is definitely worth it to spend as much time as possible with this memorable cast of characters. The audiobook narrator was fantastic, well worth listening to!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

thehistoriette's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting