Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

145 reviews

ameliaflint's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

This book is truly amazing. I reread it and it hits just as hard the second time. The only thing keeping it from five stars is that 'it factor' that a book sometimes has, and I just can't say this one has it. But really a great read and a terrifying one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: War, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Abortion

fandomsandfiction's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

Margaret Atwood is brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Infertility, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Abortion, Antisemitism, and Suicide

kiapin28's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicide, Self harm, Rape, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and War

Moderate: Body shaming, Classism, Grief, Violence, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Infertility, Slavery, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Torture, and Sexual violence

belladonnashrike's review against another edition

challenging 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I don’t know how I was able to be so in the dark about this story (both the book & show) with how popular it’s become in recent years but… damn. loved the abrupt ending & the historical notes that followed. an incredible read.

“we may call Eurydice forth from the world of the dead, but we cannot make her answer; and when we turn to look at her we glimpse her only for a moment, before she slips from our grasps and flees.”

nolite te bastardes carborundorum.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Abortion, Rape, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

lorraine19's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I read this book after I started the show. (See spoiler for connection between show and book.) It is very tense and covers extremely sensitive subjects in a brutal way. 

For this reason, I'd advise against reading if you are sensitive or have trauma that is easily triggered. 

However, it does highlight some very relevant issues and is something I think many people should read. It will make you uncomfortable. You might have to put it down for a couple days to process it or take a breather. But it is worthwhile and will make you recognize small signs of sexism and discrimination. It shows how small things can escalate. It is also very heavy on religion and politics, but I view the main character as someone wanting to reclaim her religion from extremists - for this reason I do not believe it is anti-religious but anti-extremism. 

I do wish they went more into some of the other characters impacted (which I believe she does in the sequel) but it also did a good job of explaining the world strictly from the main character's POV. 

<SPOILER> The book only covers what is basically the first season of the show but the plot is also a bit different. This leaves it open ended as well. <SPOILER>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Infertility, Abandonment, Acephobia/Arophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Biphobia, Child abuse, Rape, Xenophobia, Transphobia, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Pedophilia, Lesbophobia, Classism, Antisemitism, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Violence, War, Abortion, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

Ritualistic rape, religious extremism, political abuse

crackerjax's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Slavery, Violence, Abortion, Sexual violence, Suicide, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Infertility, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Torture

emiliaelko's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

4.0

Very hard to read because it is so dark 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Genocide, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Infertility, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Violence

kmayatte's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Confinement, Rape, Kidnapping, and Misogyny

Moderate: Blood, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Racism, Abortion, Infidelity, and Murder

Minor: Antisemitism, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Trafficking

liam_bennett03's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Pregnancy, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion, Rape, and Sexual violence

cursedcheez's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-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? Yes

4.5

Margaret Atwood is amazing at describing emotions and thoughts. She uses the emotions to advance the plot. The ending fitted very well, but it was unsatisfying though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide