Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

326 reviews

soap2's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Gore, Blood, Grief, Body horror, War, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Medical content, Child abuse, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child abuse and Child death

kjm19's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-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

4.5

Amazing writing - vivid and evocative. 

Love the realistic portrayal of how women are perceived in this world. I love that Patroclus grows in his opinions on women and people too. Contrasted with Achilles and his views because he can only be focused on himself. 

I think maybe a bit of pacing inconsistencies at the start of the war… partly felt rushed and partly felt weeded out a bit. 

More character distinction would’ve been good, but I’m being really picky now. 

The last chapter is amazing. Many tears fell. Amazing book and fleshed out story of a classic myth. 

I feel the 1984 pull to the book now. Beautiful and I loved it. I cried a lot in my final sitting of the read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Sexual content, and Slavery

Moderate: Biphobia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Outing, Pregnancy, and Rape

Minor: Alcohol and Adult/minor relationship

marslotus's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, War, Sexism, Violence, Animal death, Grief, Child death, Death, Sexual content, and Slavery

Moderate: Homophobia, Blood, Infidelity, Bullying, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, and Murder

bella_mcnabb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Death

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical trauma

eryncaroline's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

2.5

I was so excited to read this book after hearing such rave reviews and that tissues are required for this one. Definitely well-written and such an interesting dive into these mythological greek characters, but the world building felt inconsistent with the way the gods play a role in the story and once the battle of troy began the number of "time jumps" really takes you out of the story waiting for the "big thing" to happen. I did really enjoy the first half of the book and I was sold on the characters and really interested in their story, but it was difficult to watch the characters change and see the fates play out. Still pondering the story and my review, but I'm glad to have read it!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Violence, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Homophobia, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, and Sexual violence

codapril's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring sad 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

4.75

This was the first book I've read in a non-academic setting in a VERY long time, and I couldn't have picked a better book to get me back into reading again. I had been wanting to read more for a long time now, but worried I would struggle with finding a genre I liked, or that I would lose interest in a book and never pick it up again. Suffice it to say, I had no issued with this book and it reignited my love for reading and makes me excited to continue reading. This story was moderately slow, but slow does not mean lacking intrigue. The slowness is important in discerning characters, places, and events that all become very relevant later in the book. The friendship, love, and compassion presented in this story is truly beautiful, and brought me strong emotions at times. I'm very excited to read other stories from this author. From a very new reader I highly suggest this book. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, and Slavery

kaylynn28's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Rape and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Child abuse

bookishmind_13's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Violence, Death, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gore, Murder, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery

Minor: Pregnancy, Alcohol, Excrement, and Vomit

z24's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-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? It's complicated

2.0

This book has me very separated. I always liked the story of Achilles and perhaps that is the problem. The author changed the story in some key factors, and imo took away a lot from what makes this story great. The writing on the other hand is quite enchanting and beautiful.
Leaving out some parts (like rape

Patroclus saving Brisis instead of raping her, made a cute story-line

) is an understandable decision and makes the novel a lot easier to read. But to change the main character to a weak guy, when the fact that Patroclus and Achilles very equally talented, makes it.. quite homophobic. It even is mentioned in the book that the Greeks weren't accepting of homosexual relationships. Only in specific instances, but to have a couple that defies those rules, that is what made the whole story so iconic. Pushing them back into this heteronomative characteristics, takes that away.
There is the option of looking at Patroclus story-line and trying to interpret it in a way, that says "there's other ways to be great than physical strength" but to be honest it still feels like a slap in the face to one of the veeery few storys that portray a different, not-so-stereotypical gay relationship.
Additionally, looking at the way the book is talked about on social media, lets it seem a lot like a fetishisation fan fiction of a gay couple.
Edit: While some parts were left out, other rather unnecessary and misoginistic parts were added (example:

Deidameira raping both main characters

). Also I forgot to mention the Bi-erasure, considering both main characters were considered bisexual in the original text and are almost repulsed by woman in this version.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Self harm, Violence, Death, Homophobia, War, and Rape

Moderate: Biphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Medical content

sherilees's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Violence, Medical trauma, Death, Rape, Body horror, Grief, Gore, Animal death, Slavery, and Blood