Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

21 reviews

hurlyburlywitch's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

This was dark, and made my insides roil. I found the protagonist compelling, though some of her choices didnt particularly resonate with me. 
Several plot points hit me like a gut punch, but in the end the plot felt rushed, like they'd run out of book to struggle in, rather than running out of struggle. 
One thing that was missing for me was the acknowledgement of trans people, and how they were impacted by a virus that was more deadly for women. In fact, they might have held some clue- was the virus more deadly based on about organs, or hormones, or purely capacity for pregnancy? 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicide, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit

tr4shc4n's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Biphobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion

abbacirc's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Infidelity, Abortion

katrinarose's review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

---

Extremely bleak and tough read but I could not put it down. I loved the character of the unnamed midwife and the how well the author also developed even minor characters as they appeared. I also like the alternating style of her journal and omnipresent narrative. I was taken aback at first when we learned about characters and events that the midwife did not know about but it was satisfying (although sad). I like that the author didn’t shy away from the brutal realities of this post-apocalyptic world, and didn’t sugarcoat her view of human nature, as depressing as it was. This book is definitely not for everyone (between the triggering content, narrative style, and somewhat bare plot) but I really liked it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Abortion

polo's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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: No

---

Very entertaining. I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but it had an interesting main character and I enjoyed the historical perspective, along with the way many stories criss-crossed into one another. 
PLEASE read the content warnings on this one before you start. Not kidding.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Torture

kat1105's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

larbster90's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

---

Incredible book, very compelling couldn't stop reading it. Definitely increased my anxiety, though.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infertility, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Trafficking, Suicide attempt

horizonous's review

2.25

challenging dark sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Medical content, Trafficking, Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Medical trauma

◦ Medical trauma = Genital mutilation

bex_knighthunter's review against another edition

4.5

dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Wow - bleak, atmospheric, incredibly dark but very readable and with a refreshingly queer perspective on the apocalypse. I love survival narratives, so really enjoyed all the minutiae about finding shelter, food etc. (and with birth control which doesn't feature enough in sci-fi!) but also enjoyed the bigger ideas around: what cultures and communities would develop and survive (not all good), female empowerment & sexual autonomy. This generally focussed on the small picture (which felt realistic given the rate of societal collapse meant that much would remain a mystery), but there were some story sections that explored wider narratives which I appreciated. I enjoyed the framing story, which also provided some hope from the start.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Rape, Slavery

Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Pregnancy

Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Suicide

sistermagpie's review against another edition

dark hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Trafficking