Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

58 reviews

vee_the_tree's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, and War

cupidsarroww's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Abortion, Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Homophobia

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

definitely a slow burn but i liked the way it built tension somewhat exponentially with the narrator at the center of three mini rebellions—

seeing the Commander, defecting with Ofglen and Mayday, and conspiring with Serena Joy and Nick

—but in the end it didn't really amount to all that much. i love the inclusion of the "Historical Notes," they're terrible and perfect.
it's definitely white feminism, with racism in this religious-extremist totalitarian regime only mentioned once, in passing, at the very end. compared to another modern classic published just two years later, Beloved, it's kind of embarrassing.
cover design review: ★★★★☆. instant one-star deduction for having author's name larger than the title (sorry Margaret Atwood), and this is especially egregious; the title is relatively tiny. we all know minimalism has become excessive but i really like this one. the centering of the title is very satisfying, with approximately equal overhang of "HANDMAID'S" on either side of the dress. and the best part, get ready for your mind to be blown: see that dot in front of the Handmaid's head? it's the eye of a face in profile looking to the left hidden in the negative space. genius

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Classism, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Trafficking, Violence, Domestic abuse, Death, Rape, Infidelity, Misogyny, Infertility, Murder, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Animal death, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug use, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Child death

Minor: Abortion, Medical content, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Racism, War, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, and Vomit

rory_john14's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Biphobia, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Infertility, Infidelity, and Misogyny

Moderate: Lesbophobia and Alcohol

Minor: Death of parent, Racism, War, Child death, and Murder

libbywibby's review against another edition

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

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Death, and Child death

chiara_dose's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Infertility, Pregnancy, Torture, and Violence

alyssadavis's review against another edition

• 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

5.0

"There is more than one kind of freedom. Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don't underrate it."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Infertility, and Rape

Moderate: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Miscarriage, Body horror, Pregnancy, Confinement, and Death

Minor: Suicide, Abortion, and Self harm

aliceloyallaleon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, and War

nikakulic's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative inspiring sad slow-paced

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

5.0

An amazing read. It was an astonishing commentary on the patriarchal society that runs this twisted world. The main character isn't loveable but that is her purpose. She has internalized misogyny and questionable morals but that goes further to point out the damages of overly sexualising women. Truly amazing but if someone tells you that this book is their favourite because they love the main character and that world, run as fast as you can because that flag is as red as it can be. Have fun reading<3

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Abortion, Death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

marisabenn's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

4.0

A terrifying book if you're a woman. This story feels so real that I end up a shell the next couple days after I finish it. The writing is beautiful and haunting. Not a happy or hopeful story, but a quick read if you simply want to feel some emotions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence