Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin

44 reviews

echorose202's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

4.75

Great book, really enjoyed it. Well written characters, a linear plot that still catches you by surprise. I'm really glad I read the first 3 books of the series to fully appreciate this one.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape

dreadfulreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Child abuse

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Rape

alexalily's review against another edition

adventurous reflective slow-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Body shaming, Death, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, and Death of parent

Minor: Rape, Violence, and Sexual content

reddeddy's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Dysphoria, Child abuse, Grief, Violence, Ableism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Torture, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Body horror, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

Minor: Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Sexual content, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Gore, Infidelity, Police brutality, Cursing, Rape, Slavery, Classism, Confinement, Incest, Xenophobia, and Domestic abuse

marmar0326's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Violence

Minor: Rape and Adult/minor relationship

renicula's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Confinement, Rape, Pedophilia, Torture, and Slavery

beansandrice's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Undoubtedly the peak of Earthsea for me. The premise made me cringe, and I was worried it wasn't going to turn out alright. But Tehanu is the greatest example of why so many remember Le Guin's work so fondly. 

I know some people have been disappointed by how this book frames the course of Tenar's life, but I think it makes sense looking at Le Guin's biography. These are her thoughts on womahood as she's seen it over the course of her life as someone born in the 30's, writing just as a new wave of feminism begins to emerge. If some of the ideas about femininity seem antiquated in this book, I think that stems from the fact she was just entering her 60's when writing it. She seems very aware of what society believes that must mean for her, yet it's clear she still had a great deal of her life to live in the years to come. This isn't a statement about how she wishes all women must live, but an ode to women who have been left behind. Left behind by a time that refused to see their worth and power. Tehanu complicates the previous books by finally giving the female perspective on Earthsea that I've longed for since Tombs of Atuan, but not once does Tehanu cheapen what's come before. 

For this and much else, it's by far my favorite among Earthsea.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Ableism

Moderate: Rape and Pedophilia

melonmachinery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

I really don't know what to rate this one. This book leaves me with complicated feelings. It's darker, sadder, and more disturbing than the previous books by far. I can't agree with anything Tenar did with her life, to the point of anger and disappointment. Her and Ged's relationship is disappointing but I guess not surprising. Le Guin's afterword helped me settle some of the feelings I had to a manageable place, but I have too much anger at the injustice, as she has said, and found no justice in this book. At least Therru has come into herself at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Ableism, Sexism, and Misogyny

Minor: Rape and Pedophilia

nincrony1's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Is this the crowning achievement of the Earthsea series? Quite possibly. Tehanu is at once a mournfully sad yet ultimately hopeful tale about ageing and womanhood (in particular) whilst also being a quiet undermining of the original Earthsea trilogy. The story picks up with Tenar from two books prior and continuing Ged’s story post-The Farthest Shore. Two legendary heroes now older and pass their prime; Tenar a widow and realising societal set gender norms have now made her obsolete and Ged no longer the archmage and powerless. In between them, a scarred burned traumatised girl named Therru where over the course of the book, the three of them find hope again - I love a found family story, after all. It’s a long and very trying road to get there though. This is a much darker novel than the first three, less of the high fantasy adventuring whilst tackling some heady themes and narratives points. For such a short book, it’s dense and impactful. Le Guin’s prose is so direct and beautiful. Almost 20 years of development separates this and her original Earthsea books and the maturity of the writing is apparent. The way she kneads in her philosophy and now focus on being an older woman is perfect. Just based on the first three books alone, she’s one of my favourite authors, but with Tehanu she earns her place as one of the best. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

snazzaro's review

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexism, Rape, and Violence