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velokei's review
- 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
3.25
I like it in the way you like an ugly but healthy puppy, is it ugly? Yes, but it’s still living and breathing and you end up developing an attachment to it anyway. I could barely put it down, but at the same time I really wanted to put it down.
Briseis (our main character) is boring and just bland. I don’t like her and that should not be the case! In a book supposedly meant to be centred around women, why is there only one woman’s pov but two mens? And why are both the men far more interesting than the woman? Pat if you wanted to write specifically just about Patroclus and Achilles, that’s okay! My favourite parts of the book involved just the two of them.
I also don’t get why the last line is ‘Now, my own story can begin’ if the books whole point was supposed to be the story of Briseis, and I didn’t like the changes to the myth including who she marries and
Tldr
Loved Patrochilles moments
Hated Briseis she was boring
Didn’t like the changes to the myth
This didn’t feel very feminist
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Death, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Vomit, Sexism, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and War
beauvisseau's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Although the main character, Briseis, does not have a highly developed character, I feel that it fits with her state of being. The grief of losing her loved ones but also one's self can turn you into a shell of memories and thoughts.
One point of criticism though, is that I would have liked to see more perspectives of different women there. It is a missed opportunity to switch between Briseis, Patroclus and Achilles, when two of those three narratives have already been explored for centuries but so many narratives are missing.
Amazing work of fiction that truly expands upon the existing narratives and opened my eyes to many new ideas about war, feminism, story-telling, slavery and power. Would recommend to anyone.
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, War, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Genocide, Gore, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Physical abuse, and Xenophobia
josiee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Violence, War, Death, Sexual violence, and Slavery
shellybelly's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Rape, War, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Slavery, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Classism, Child death, Child abuse, Blood, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
thevintageflowerfaerie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, War, Slavery, Rape, Misogyny, Death, Body horror, Blood, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Trafficking, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Alcohol
kitkatkick's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Toxic friendship, War, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Genocide, Murder, and Slavery
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Pregnancy, Suicide, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Child death, Classism, and Kidnapping
Minor: Child abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Torture, and Panic attacks/disorders
murano's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Suicide, Body horror, Murder, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and War
Minor: Vomit and Self harm
natz785's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Child abuse, Child death, and War
streamthief's review
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, and War
nicolesr1's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I don’t think the blurb gives a realistic view of how the novel will handle Briseis’ story as well as the other women involved, as I felt it could have given more of a voice to them. I felt the end of the novel was rushed and could have done more to explore the women’s feelings and experiences as the myth wraps up.
The unexpected shift from 1st to 3rd person was jarring and occasionally brought me out of the narrative. Overall I enjoyed the read after I was able to push through the gruesomeness but it is about War and doesn’t shy away from the horrors of battle. A realistic depiction but lacking the depth of the female characters that I was hoping for. It is refreshing, yet horrific, to read something that focuses on the women effected by war and the realities of life in times of conflict rather than just another retelling of the heroes whose names we all know.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Violence, and War