Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

82 reviews

kathrynleereads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

2.75

I’m not going to lie… this book was a chore for me. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was that I didn’t like, but every time I put it down, I felt absolutely no desire to pick it back up again. 

Song of Achilles is one I had such high hopes for after hearing so many amazing things about it, but I just didn’t feel drawn into the story. 

With every multi-year time jump, I felt as if I had whiplash. If I’m adding correctly the book spanned a total of 18 years (ages 9 to 27 for Patroclus), which was just too wide a time frame. 

Because of the time jumps, Achilles’ character development felt spotty and incomplete. Patroclus, on the other hand, seemed to go through all of his character growth within the final few chapters, which was just as jarring. 

Speaking of the final few chapters…

I’ll admit, I did shed quite a few tears at the end of the book, but that’s only because of the characters’ reactions to everything that unfolded. 

I didn’t even fully follow what happened to Patroclus until Menelaus carried him back into camp, at which point I went back and reread the prior chapter. 

One second Patroclus was in the chariot, and the next he was at the wall of Troy, being surrounded by the Trojan army. 

I understand that Miller was demonstrating the draw of power in the scene, but it was so out of character for Patroclus that it took me right out of the story.

The only aspect of this book I have no complaints about is Briseis. Her character helped demonstrate the severity of war atrocities, while also helping mark time.

Briseis’ friendship with Patroclus was the only thing that kept me reading this book. 

She was so kind and understanding, even after the horrors that she had gone through (and was yet to go through) because of the war. 

All in all, I think this book was just not for me. Reading other reviews for The Song of Achilles, I recognize all the aspects that are being applauded, I just think Miller’s writing style was not for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Murder, Sexual violence, Blood, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Body horror, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and War

Moderate: Torture, Child death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death and Bullying

vnfhcxksiw's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Murder, Slavery, War, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Self harm, Blood, Child death, Classism, Death, Genocide, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Sexual violence, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and War

angeldevoursliterature's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Medical content, Bullying, Slavery, Misogyny, Murder, Animal death, Gore, War, Torture, Sexual violence, Grief, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Physical abuse, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Cursing

rllbth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Torture, Body horror, Violence, Blood, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Xenophobia, and Slavery

Minor: Classism

passionatereader78's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Beautifully written story. I  enjoyed the retelling of Achilles  and the Trojan War. The details are beautiful. I have fallen in love with the main characters. Well done Madeline!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Bullying, Abandonment, Child abuse, War, Death, and Violence

uranaishi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Domestic abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Death, Death of parent, Classism, Mental illness, Bullying, Outing, Physical abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Gore, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Child death

_bobatea_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Slavery, Classism, Child abuse, Abandonment, Grief, War, Violence, Sexism, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Outing, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Sexual assault

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, and Vomit

bedoesque's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring 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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Death

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Rape, Kidnapping, and Cursing

lonny05's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny sad fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, War, and Mental illness

harrimyers's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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

4.5

second time reading. started at 4:30, just finished at 11pm. knackered but damn. it’s a beautiful book if i just. ignore the original source material. some great, Great lines tho and it’s a book that was very necessary to be written even if me and how some of the women’s plot lines in this don’t get on

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Sexual content, Murder, Blood, Slavery, Grief, Violence, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Body horror, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Animal death, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Child death, and Xenophobia