Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

50 reviews

juliarchetype's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Death

richardgarrardsm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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

4.0

A brilliant and acerbic retelling of a Homeric classic. Very fast-paced (I finished it in a day), but very absorbent. Atwood’s talent for storytelling doesn’t diminish throughout the book, telling the story from multiple different angles and settings. The feminist inversion adds a lovely touch to the source material, a most patriarchal of all poems. Overall, a very slick and highly readable tale.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Death, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

littleislaygirl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Sexism

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad fast-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? Yes

4.0

I love a good myth retelling, especially when a voice is given to a woman who has been denied a voice. Margaret Atwood has always been good at giving voices to just such women. This was an emotional read. My heart goes out to Penelope. It's so easy to forget she suffered at home, alone, when you read about Odysseus traveling the world and having adventures. It's unfair to her, and this book reminds you of that and makes you feel what she felt. My only wish is that she had gotten a happy ending after all she went through.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

trispenfold's review against another edition

adventurous informative reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

azalia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Violence, Sexism, Misogyny, and Slavery

Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Infidelity, and Sexual violence

Minor: Toxic relationship, War, Emotional abuse, Gore, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, and Torture

sparksofdaisy's review against another edition

emotional informative sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Rape, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Murder, and Infidelity

meghen's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, and Death

Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

ginameix's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-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? Yes

4.0

An excellent look into Penelope's point of view and includes lots of thought provoking sequences. I do wish she was less harsh on Helen who may also not have had a choice. A quick read but worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Blood and Sexism

Aside from the main story of Penelope and the suitors and that bloodshed the main death comes in the form of the 12 murdered maids from the Odyssey.

alix_the_book_witch's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Toxic relationship