Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Power by Naomi Alderman

95 reviews

courtwj's review against another edition

Too bleak right now. Not connecting to many characters. Feels like it will end with men redominating or women oppressing men.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

gellyreads's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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? Yes

2.0

I am so conflicted about this book. I love the idea, but I am a bit infuriated by the corruption of power. I also feel like I didn't have to see that much violence. Maybe I'm just idiotic or too hopeful, but I don't believe that this is what would happen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: War

Minor: Abandonment

starlitpage's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: War

thewitchsreads's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

Had hoge verwachtingen, maar die werden niet helemaal waargemaakt. Ik had verwacht dat wanneer vrouwen sterker zouden worden dan mannen, zij op een heel andere manier met die macht om zouden gaan dan in het boek werd beschreven. Ik heb erg lang over het boek gedaan, omdat het me in het begin niet kon vasthouden. De tweede helft ging al een stuk beter, maar ben toch niet helemaal erover uit wat ik hier nou van vond.
Also, check de trigger warnings, het werd me soms iets té graphic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

dangrl888's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

shermansays's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child abuse and Blood

Minor: Ableism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Vomit, Trafficking, and Alcohol

gracekatreads's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

2.75

While the first half of this book and the premise are really strong and thoughtful, the analysis of gender and it’s affects in the second half is poorly thought out—the overall effect ends up being very gender essentialist and conservative. Scenes of graphic sexual violence are unnecessary and in detail every time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma

readingrainbowroad's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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? Yes

3.5

This is a book I find hard to rate and review because it invokes so much thought about really important things around gender identity, society and power structures. However, it does so by forcing you to confront a lot of uncomfortable events. You'll be thinking about power for a long time after finishing it. This book is worth the read, but it doesn't hold back. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse

bethanie_l's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Wasn't sure about this one as I'm slightly apprehensive about the gender switch society concept. It can often be weaponized to say "see? You're just as bad as men so there's no point in feminism." This was not that. It felt more like... like pointing out that these things that are so horrific to see crop up are things that already happen to women in real life. And I can't deny that sometimes I long for men to understand what it's like to be afraid to go jogging at night, that you can't wear headphones because an attacker could sneak up, you can't wear your hair in a ponytail because they could use it to grab you, you can't run in secluded areas because they could abduct you in seconds. The first half is satisfying in this way, seeing women stand up for themselves and seeing men not feel in control anymore. It devolves into horror, but again nothing more than what already happens to women. Is that an excuse? Of course not. But it should be a wake up call to any men who read it. I wonder if they'll even understand that this book is a mirror, even though towards the end I feel like we're being bashed over the head with it. It made me cry deep sobs and I love it for that. 

Issues: very cishet view of gender and sexuality. There's no room for trans characters. One intersex character, but it doesn't go into the gender issues really. Felt like the

voice in Allie's head being Samuel from the Bible

was a very weird choice. And the graphic rape scenes were a bit much, even knowing the framing device of them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

lthumphrey's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, and War

Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Misogyny, Medical content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Pedophilia