Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

51 reviews

rwinchesterm's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

amy_park's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

3.5

Strong and moving! Not a very long book, but it holds a powerful kick. It took a while for me to get to grips with the many characters and how to differentiate their voices in my mind, but once I had done this it was easier to follow. The narration from a male was an interesting choice, which initially I was hesitant about it as I felt his opinions and backstory were a distraction to the main plot and at parts it did grate on me, but on the whole I think the device was nessecary and realistic for the community. Based on true events this made it an incredibly difficult to read and I would suggest to look at the content warnings before. The questions and conversations had by the women were so very important and made me reflect internally about my own femininity. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, and Alcoholism

jlye's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• 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? No

4.5

This book will stay with me for a long time. Religion is used as a weapon against these women, but also serves as their source of comfort and guidance. I am an atheist, but very much appreciate seeing the world through the lens of these beautifully written characters. My only critique is  having watched the movie right after finishing the book, I prefer the shift to having Autje as the narrator.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

charlottesreadingweb's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

5.0

A crushing story of bravery, sisterhood, and solidarity in the face of horrors inflicted upon women by men they trusted. An important meditation on womanhood/girlhood, power, patriarchy, and the weaponization of religion for control. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time, and I look forward to watching the screen adaptation. Please check content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Vomit, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Incest

gmjohnson's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Astonishing read, I felt like I really connected with the characters and sympathised with them all. Toews has compassionately written a complex cast of characters in which each of them have their own unique views on the situation they’re in. I laughed and cried throughout the whole book, but ultimately felt hope for the women as their story grew. Definitely my all time favourite book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Sexism, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Death, Murder, and Death of parent

bseigel's review

fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Suicide, Rape, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Incest, and Self harm

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

hannahwinston's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.0

I loved the book. Fast read, engaging, teared up a few times. Tommy biggest issue is the narrator is not only unreliable, it’s a man. I understand why it has to be a man, I’m just still annoyed by it.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, and Suicide

cerys_ah's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Pregnancy, and Panic attacks/disorders

lk3ssaf's review

3.25

The book was short and easy to read. It was sad, and depressing at times, but the author chose a hopeful ending.

We never learn what happens to the women, or how the men at the cult react, and that might be for the best.

I didn't learn that the story was based on real crimes that took place against Mennonite women until after I had read the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicide, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Death of parent

cassie7e's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I picked this up after a neighbor highly recommended the film. This book was hard for me given the subject matter of the inciting incident, but had much questioning and discussion that I found enriching and important to think about. I loved the characterizations of each woman and girl, how their ages and personalities played into their behaviors and dialogue. Some people dislike that it's women talking in circles but (as per the title) that is the point; the story witnesses women taking control, thinking and talking for themselves, challenging each other, and this is how decision making happens. It felt real and not at all superficial. So don't read this if you need books to have concrete plot.

Some may also dislike that it's narrated by a man, and that the "minutes" are more of a transcript. 

I'm surprised that so many reviews disliked the religious focus of the discussions when it's clearly about Mennonite women, people in an explicitly religious colony separated from the rest of the world. Of course religious questions will be of primary concern for these women! And I did not see them as cold and inadequately outraged - they are seriously discussing actions that defy their entire social structure as a result of the atrocity they experienced, and as many trauma victims, are detaching themselves from the feelings so they can make decisions without shutting down and losing their opportunity to make a choice at all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Incest, Self harm, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Vomit, Death, and Miscarriage