Reviews tagging 'Outing'

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

49 reviews

_david_'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What a beautiful retelling of Achilles and Patroclus. It is very humane and easy to read. I empathized with Patroclus. Something I would like to highlight is how poetic the moments of sex were written. In general the style of writing is accessible without being simple. It is easy to imagine the ancient greek beliefs as an active religion when the legends and characters are told like this. 

The tale itself hurt to read. Especially the last part of the book made me want to read as slowly as possible to postpone the ending. Afterwards I grabbed my partner and hugged him as tight as I could. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Self harm, Abandonment, Child death, Homophobia, Outing, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, and Xenophobia

Minor: Medical content, Pregnancy, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

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. 

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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

cecilie26's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

It was an interesting read. It didn’t quite have the “vibe” that I thought it would. It was not a bad thing, just thought it would be more- idk something more. I can’t quite find what’s missing for me, but none the less I did enjoy the story. Bit boring at times and was about to loose interest 60% in but it did have a good twist in the end that made it worth it. 
I think because I don’t like it that much is because I’m more to medium or fast paced books, so that might be it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Rape, Violence, War, Pandemic/Epidemic, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Murder, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Slavery

screechie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense medium-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

4.25

Didn’t have to set this one to doubled listening speed! Enough exposition to satisfactorily build & engage you in the world of the tale but not so laborious that you disassociate & fall asleep. Worth a re-read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, War, Homophobia, Child death, Violence, Death, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Blood

Minor: Outing, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual content, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping

There is some mlm sexual content but it’s not done in a way that is overly graphic or titillating because neither is the point of the scenes it occurs in.

lilo000's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

:'( all of my journal entries were deleted but overall - a more sad-toned book than I'm used to. Maybe I don't read enough sad books, but I don't know if this overall qualifies as sad. Overall a good read, good writing: I mean it's greek mythology. Did very much appreciate the themes of Greek mythology and always love the idea of a known story from a different perspective. 98% good pacing - very few spots where I wasn't happy with the plot/writing's pacing.

I guess it's sad because - yes they both die,

but I think that was to be expected and kind of fit with the way the story was flowing/going.  The main character is flawed of course (he is only human) but to a relatable degree. I thought it was really interesting that the two main characters toward the end seem so opposed on values, as fundamental as violence

Would definitely recommend, I think the only thing keeping it from a 5 star were that the character arc for our main character didn't come as grandiose as I wanted it to, but I think that made it more real (which isn't why I read fictional books haha). I was disappointed in Achilles character arc, but it was a little more understandable humanity wise. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, War, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Outing, Animal death, Blood, and Abandonment

Minor: Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Slavery, and Toxic relationship

shayna14's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Infidelity, Medical content, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child death, Self harm, Slavery, Sexual assault, Grief, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Murder, Animal death, Medical trauma, Blood, Gore, Death of parent, Violence, War, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Vomit, Torture, Excrement, Outing, Kidnapping, Trafficking, and Homophobia

Minor: Abandonment

mirissab's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I only picked this book up because I want to read Circe but I didn't want to feel like I was missing anything.

I'd been so against reading romance until this point, but I underestimated (or failed to get the hint when reading the back cover) the depth and centrality of the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus when choosing this book at the library.

I was not in the slightest disappointed by my decision. I haven't read a book in a while to where it felt like I was halfway through running a 5k and this story was my rewarded tiny two ounce paper cup of water. My heart quickened in moments of peril or suspense, and ached in sadness and love. I couldn't get the words off the page fast enough. I haven't had much engagement with Greek mythology since primary school, but my interest has been struck anew. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, War, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Outing, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Slavery

sirenricobooks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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: Misogyny, War, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Child death, Death, Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Torture, Classism, Grief, and Homophobia

Minor: Animal death, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Outing, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery

rionstorm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense 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

4.75

Really loved this! Love a tragic romance, and thought the ending was satisfying if (obviously) sad.

The character development was really well done, felt gradual and natural.

It felt balanced how Patroclus almost rose to meet Achilles in his own way, becoming known for his talents and abilities, and Achilles at the end was almost knocked back a bit to meet Patroclus in his more substantial mortality. I particularly liked the line towards the end, after having Achilles portrayed as invulnerable and unbeatable for so long, when Paris begins to mention the myth of Achilles' heel and invincibility, and is cut off by Apollo reminding him that he is mortal and can be killed. Really grounds Achilles' character all of a sudden.

 

I read it after Circe, and I found the difference in how certain things (especially stuff relating to women, marriage, and assault) are talked about really interesting. This one was definitely a bit more difficult to read in that sense, as sexual assault in particular is talked about relatively flippantly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Abandonment, War, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Homophobia, Xenophobia, Self harm, and Outing

hdluback's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

heard a lot about this book and it definitely lived up to the hype. you’ll just want to keep reading more and more. a bit confusing at first to get into, but a really wonderful story in the end. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, War, Murder, and Medical content

Minor: Outing, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual violence