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annahollamby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Deadnaming
maxgold's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy
Minor: Transphobia, Suicide, and Death
laceystairs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Sexual violence, Self harm, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Domestic abuse, and Incest
ceedy's review
- 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
Moderate: Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, and Grief
Minor: Deadnaming
electricshe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Some people don’t like the male narrator character, August, as they feel his perspective and character arc take away from the female voice, I guess. But I think he’s important. This part may get a bit spoilery, so stop here if you like. He is a useful contrast both to the women and the other more traditional men of the colony. Rather than feeling like his narration muddied the women’s voices, I felt like he creates a layer of removal from the women that is necessary for the reader to have—since we don’t know them, really—and views the proceedings with a sort of sacredness and deference. He also acts as a bridge for the reader to enter this world that many of us know little about, since he is something of an outsider himself.
You can see his constant thoughts about Ona, his relation of their asides, his overall meekness and awkwardness, and his odd anecdotes as all very off-putting. So that on one hand the women are contending with brutal and powerful men and on the other a pathetically self-pitying one. One wonders, when Ona has been raped, is pregnant, and is facing the very serious decision of whether to uproot herself from the only life she’s ever known, how she could possibly be entertaining this chemistry he feels between them. I don’t think she really is, personally. But maybe she is. Because these women—all women—have the capacity to be angry, to take action, to laugh despite horrors, to love even in hardship, and to be caring even when they themselves are in need of care. It doesn’t take away from her character if she does have affection for this man who, despite being odd, is not disparaging, patronising, cruel, or treacherous. He can’t help being the main character of his own life, he can’t help loving a woman who is good and kind. What I think is powerful about his position as the narrator of the story beyond all that is that he doesn’t matter. His own revelations and growth aren’t earth-shattering (or even revealed) to the women, and their story continues without him. Whether or not Ona loves him, her path is not about him.
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
faynebrio's review
Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence
sterlingreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Rape, Child abuse, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
cpersin's review
- 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? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Rape, Violence, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, Self harm, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Incest, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, and Gore
thesaltiestlibrarian's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Deadnaming, and Suicide
sunbathingturtle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Within the confines of a hayloft, Miriam Toews creates a deep ecosystem of life, social webs, shared history, thought, and—most importantly—characters that feel so very real.
I’m in awe of the format and storytelling of this book. Masterful craft.
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Domestic abuse, Incest, Grief, Child abuse, Alcohol, Confinement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt