Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

64 reviews

ivorynovature's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.75

There’s very interesting worldbuilding going on here and I especially liked the historian’s little speech at the end, I just ended up wishing the entire time that Moira was the main character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Sexual content, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Sexual assault

Minor: Kidnapping, Abortion, Infidelity, Torture, and War

thirdtimesacharm's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious tense 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Rape, Blood, and Suicide

Minor: War

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

ageckocalledachilles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Body horror, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Infertility and Suicide

calthapalustris's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-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? No

2.5

Interesting read overall I have to admit, though this book is just missing something and I've been trying to figure out what that is for over a year now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Body horror, Death, and Misogyny

Minor: Blood, Medical content, Drug use, and Miscarriage

accio_gays's review

challenging dark tense 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

2.0

This was a struggle for me to read, I had to put it down several times to regain a clear state of mind. I would if you think this story might affect you look up content warnings beforehand, because its intense. Overall, I had high expectations for this book after all the hype due to the tv show, but was quite disappointed by it. I'm really not a fan of slow moving books and this was slow. I'm not a fan of dnfing books and I had to read this for sixth form, but after reading it I would never choose to read it in my personal time, and enjoy the book, because I didn't like it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gaslighting, War, Violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Homophobia, Infertility, and Grief

darbo's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I’ll be fully honest, I needed my girlfriend to explain some things to me as we buddy-read this. It was, at times, hard for me to understand and follow what was going on - especially so in some night chapters - but in the end I managed to get the full picture of it and I ended up really enjoying this. It’s a very well written dystopian novel that follows our main character, Offred, through her daily life and thoughts as she goes along, through what can only be described as tyranny. I thoroughly enjoyed this, with the exception of one particular chapter - although relevant to story. I highly recommend this to any dystopia fans out there, and I personally am looking forward to reading its sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny

Moderate: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Death, Sexual assault, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Violence

Minor: Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Grief, Miscarriage, and War

tonjebjorkenes's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Infertility, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

cdt96's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

A dark yet scarily relevant book. Atwood said herself she never included anything that hasn't happened to women before. Now more than ever women should read this book as if it is a warning. This book shows a time before Gilead which unfortunately resonates with today's political and cultural landscapes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Murder, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Infertility, Grief, Gaslighting, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, and Adult/minor relationship

labohemeperdue's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Body shaming, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gore