Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

40 reviews

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

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, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

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

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

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: Violence and Murder

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

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: Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, and Classism

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

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

bricharis's review against another edition

dark informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

catiemcgee's review against another edition

funny reflective sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and Sexual violence

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: Misogyny, Sexism, and Gaslighting

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

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: Death, Rape, and Murder

Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

of_course_it_is's review

reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Misogyny and War