Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

40 reviews

dniespal's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Violence, Grief, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Deportation, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Classism, Genocide, Death of parent, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Slavery, War, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

nialiversuch's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Blood, Slavery, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Violence, War, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body horror, Child death, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse

reggiethebird's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Kidnapping, War, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Infidelity, Death, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Racism, Body shaming, and Alcohol

alexiconic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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

I have loved mythology since I was a young, young child. Greek myths hold a special place in my heart and in particular the stories surrounding the Trojan War and its outfall, such that even my high school courses in Ancient Greek were a joy. I adore mythological retellings, but they are sometimes hard to perfect. So, I was apprehensive: I assumed I would love this book, be entertained, but definitely not blown away.

Natalie Haynes has perfected the art of proving me wrong. At every turn, this book positively surprised me. I don't know how much of my admiration and love for her work is due to me being familiar with the stories she is telling - I would love to experience them for the first time like this - and thus not being as overwhelmed with the various storylines, plots, and characters. But I don't really care. I thought this was a piece of pure brilliance, that takes familiar narratives and approaches them afresh, somehow without losing the essence of earlier renditions. Her imaginings of Athene, Penelope, Cassandra, Odysseus, and Calliope in particular blew me away.

A Thousand Ships weaves the stories of mortal and immortal women alike into one book, that covers both the Trojan War, its aftermath, and its origins. It is stunning and I truly cannot recommend it enough.

Oh, and would absolutely recommend the audiobook read by the author!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, War, Xenophobia, Grief, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Violence

moonytoast's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

5.0

RTC… which will come once the HCP Union is able to negotiate a fair contract for their workers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Colonisation, Child death, War, Violence, Suicide, Gore, Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, and Misogyny

xlivjones073's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, War, Genocide, Grief, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Racism, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Gore, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

spooderman's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Body shaming, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, War, Child death, Confinement, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Alcohol

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

I liked this! I picked it up because of a recommendation from a friend and she definitely knew me well. I already know and love the story of The Trojan War and The Odyssey and this retelling satisfied my <i>dissatisfation</i> regarding the misrepresentation and underrepresentation of women in the ancient Greek stories. This gives those figures on the outskirts a voice and more agency. 

My favourites would be Penthesilia, Cassandra, and Penelope (oh my God, I never thought of so much of The Odyssey from her perspective and I'm hooked!). I wish we'd had a chapter from Helen's perspective, it's conspicuous that we don't. 

I think having so many perspectives did stretch the narrative a bit too thin. I would have loved a few of these culled to give more space to the others to be deepened and more explored at length. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author, perhaps with a focus on ones with fewer PoVs. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, Death, Violence, War, Child death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Classism, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, and Animal death

isakr's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Kidnapping, Confinement, Domestic abuse, War, Murder, Rape, Child death, Grief, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Child death, Violence, Confinement, War, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Trafficking, Slavery, Rape, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Animal death, Pregnancy, Incest, and Torture

Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, and Torture