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miss_sunshine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Slavery, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Mental illness, Abortion, and Pandemic/Epidemic
jadstersuperinvader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The narratives of the different women involved in and/or impacted by the trojan war was a very unique way to write about the subject. A lot of the short stories can be an emotional and tough read but that's the whole point and I appreciated it.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Murder, and War
tashtasher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death and Alcohol
abbeyroad1410's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
When I read a book that is extremely sad, I look for things to break through the tension and bring delight back to reading. The chapters from the perspectives of Calliope and Penelope really do this. Both of the women use sarcasm and irony well which puts readers at ease. Calliope has so many thoughts on the other characters (especially Helen) that readers can easily feel connected to her and her outsider point of view.
If you like Greek mythology, I think this is a very interesting perspective as women truly are kept out of the limelight unless they are goddesses. This novel goes out of its way to highlight women, whether their actions seem heroic or not. It shows how the women are often products of their backgrounds, but it also depicts them as full people, capable of experiencing the same levels of -- if not more -- tragedy.
Overall, I would read this novel again, though I think I need a fun book break to relieve the heavy feeling A Thousand Ships leaves.
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Murder, and War
Minor: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
miniingrid's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Rape, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
galexy_brain's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, Infidelity, Vomit, Cannibalism, Abortion, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
i found it really hard to enjoy this one. as someone who's read quite a few mythology retellings, surprsingly little was new to me, and even though it's advertised as very feminist and "epic", it didn't feel revolutionary at all.
i love that haynes introduced me to a couple of women and aspects in greek mythology that i hadn't previously heard of, but the stories themselves were a little, hm, flat maybe? i found myself unable to feel for the characters sometimes.
part of it's probably because of the amount of information in this book. haynes tried to fit the whole iliad (and odyssey) into 350 pages and all of it, all of the things that happened (though retold from the women's perspectives) felt textbook-dry.
i expected something emotional and fiercely feminist, but it ended up being unexciting and not entirely feminist either i feel like??? because though penelope wrote those letters, they were basically just retellings of the odyssey, of odysseus' adventures. we got the occasional "it's very lonely without you and there are suitors who invade our home", but other than that she was just retelling her husband's stories. idk.
i appreciate this book as a means to aquire knowledge (i learned many women's names that i've never even heard of), but as a novel it was mediocre at best.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
lizziea229's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
allie2ley's review against another edition
- 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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery
chrisarnold94's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail