Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

36 reviews

creepypiespice's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Death, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, Grief, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Abortion, Miscarriage, Torture, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Lesbophobia, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Infertility, and Cursing

Minor: Suicide attempt, Antisemitism, and Alcohol

nuala_koala's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

2.0

2.5
I was expecting to hate this book. I don't know anyone who likes it. I was semi-surprised. I didn't love "The Handmaid's Tale", and I didn't dislike it. It was simply "OK".

Some of my positive points about it include:
- I really liked the amount of description Margaret Atwood included within this book. I found reading this quite a visual experience - through Atwood's writing you could really picture what the setting was like.
- I thought that the way the story was told - in snippets and fragments, was both unique and interesting. While it was sometimes a little bit confusing, it was a fascinating way for the reader to gain more information about Gilead and Offred's life.
- The setting - Gilead, a world where most women were forced to be 'handmaid's to men - was interesting and a unique idea.

Some of the things I didn't like about this book;
- I thought that it should've been a lot shorter. Atwood really tried to keep the plot slow - it moved like frozen molasses, to take a phrase from "Jane Eyre". Many times, I like a slow plot - especially with classics. When the words and writing are rich and beautiful, I enjoy it. But, I feel that Atwood's writing was just not exquisite enough to pull the slow plot off. I will give it to Atwood though - I did want to finish the book. I was just disappointed throughout.
- Building on the first point, it really irritated me that there was a cliffhanger. Atwood had made me read the entire book waiting for something to happen only to leave me on a cliffhanger!? I will inevitably read the second book, though I am worried it will not explain what happened to Offred.
- I also was hoping that Atwood would also delve into how kind and good men can be. The story revolved around men being bad - even the more 'good' ones of the book. For example, even Luke had sexist views, and Nick didn't really care about Offred. I think the story could've been a lot better if Atwood had added another positive male character.

So, overall, The Handmaid's Tale was an OK read. I am definitely not rushing to pick up the next one, which is unusual for a cliffhanger ending.
It deserved 2 stars, so that's what it got.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal death, Torture, and Cursing

michaelatrelby's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Infertility, Homophobia, Hate crime, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Cursing, Blood, Antisemitism, Adult/minor relationship, and Ableism

therobinjoyce's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

4.5

The Handmaid's tale is such a wonderfully dark and gritty, almost dystopian novel. Considering its publication over 3 decades ago, it is surprisingly easy to read and flows with such emotion.

The system of Gilead within the book is so brutal and cruel yet it highlighted the true capabilities of man. What man can do to one another, and just how dangerous and misogyny can be.

There are so many other reviewers who could word their feelings about this book with much more eloquence than I'm capable of, but if I had to leave this review with one closing thought I would tell you that this book will change your life. It will make you think and question and ponder so many different things and appreciate the lives and freedom we are able to live in this bustling modern era. How lucky we are and how we need to remember this fact.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Misogyny

Moderate: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Miscarriage, Abortion, and Child death

j_m_r_'s review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I adored reading this book so much for my A-Level English! There were vast amounts of hidden themes and topics, alongside the very graphic obvious ones. Atwood somehow managed to write a book that is still relevant 36 years after it's first publication and still just as much food-for-thought.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing and Infidelity

Minor: Blood, Child death, and Confinement

While the themes of this book are heavy going, and I would recommend thinking twice about how empathetic and mentally stable you are before heading to Gilead, I do believe it is an important book to read for those who feel able

valyn_grebe's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Misogyny

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Infertility, and Rape

Minor: Blood, Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Gun violence