Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

46 reviews

barb_christensen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I just wish there was a happy ending, but alas that was not as it was. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book was amazing. I absolutely adore greek retellings and this women based greek retelling was beautiful. It reads in chronological order with some chapters involving the writing process of the book from a perspective of a man and letters from Penelope. It was beautifully written and so enlightening. I would 100% recommend anyone to read this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

marianneiriss's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

gertrudethemoonstone's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

orlagal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

 

“When a war was ended, the men lost their lives. But the women lost everything else.”

Homer’s <i>Iliad</i> has inspired generations of epic tales: tales of war, rage, violence, and glory. But these tales have been told primarily by and about men. In <i>A Thousand Ships</i>, Haynes asks: What about the women? Many of their stories have been told, yes, but as footnotes or backstories for the “real” heroes: the men. But why should heroism be confined to the battlefield? The women of Troy lose everything, but must find the courage to continue. Penelope waits for her husband for 20 years, but uses her wit to escape her suitors and stay loyal and true to her husband. 

As a rule, I prefer my stories with happy endings. I went into this book knowing that I wouldn’t get one, and worried that that would ruin the story for me, but it didn’t. The stories were told so beautifully and the endings so inevitable that I loved each one of them (even as I cried for the lost). I’ve read a lot of really incredible mythology-inspired books this year, and this was definitely one of my favorites!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Incest, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, and Alcohol

camsara99's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense 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? Yes

5.0

A Thousand Ships focuses on the women who played a role in the legendary Trojan War, and all of the heroic and tragic roles they played before, during, and long after. 

This book is one of the most beautifully written I have read in a long time. The prose itself completely sucked me in, not to mention the incredibly well-constructed story. Natalie Haynes did a phenomenal justice to all of these characters who always seem to come second to their male counterparts, if not just ignored completely. 

I particularly loved the chapters about Cassandra. Haynes wrote her with such care and intelligence, while still keeping the youth of the character clear. I was happy to see in the afterword that this character was her favourite as well.

I also strongly recommend listening to the audiobook for this. It is narrated by the author so you hear everything exactly as it was intended, and the performance is phenomenal. I can’t wait to read more from Natalie Haynes going forward.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Vomit, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

pauli_alarcon's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, and War

gracebanks's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, and War

fancygirlsreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy