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seventhswan'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? It's complicated
3.5
Apart from that, though, the actual writing of the book was masterfully done and made for a compelling read despite being, genuinely, very little more than a group of women having an important conversation in a barn. I got a great sense of the different characters and their various motivations, and wanted nothing but good things for them. I want to know what happened next - as well as what happened to the real women the book is based on.
Although the premise of the book relies on horrific sexual violence (so I've marked it as graphic), I'm grateful that it didn't rely on vivid depictions of this for shock value. The few sentences alluding to the impact of the violence on different women and girls both got the point across and demonstrated its routine nature in the community. You don't need to know exact details of what happened to the women - after all, they don't themselves - and I appreciated Toews' focus on the aftermath without resorting to flashbacks and trauma porn.
I would recommend this book, in spite of my issues with the parts of it that focused on August. It felt like an important read.
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Suicide
Minor: Vomit, Death, Gun violence, and Incest
alyssa2012'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Rape, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Slavery, Incest, Infidelity, and Self harm
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Fire/Fire injury
maxgold's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy
Minor: Transphobia, Suicide, and Death
rosalind's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Death and Drug abuse
laceystairs's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Moderate: Sexual violence, Self harm, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Domestic abuse, and Incest
sterlingreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Rape, Child abuse, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
chromiumboron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexism, Child abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Incest, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Suicide and Gun violence
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
gmjohnson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Death, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Death, Murder, and Death of parent
cait's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Dementia, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism
cassie7e's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Some may also dislike that it's narrated by a man, and that the "minutes" are more of a transcript.
I'm surprised that so many reviews disliked the religious focus of the discussions when it's clearly about Mennonite women, people in an explicitly religious colony separated from the rest of the world. Of course religious questions will be of primary concern for these women! And I did not see them as cold and inadequately outraged - they are seriously discussing actions that defy their entire social structure as a result of the atrocity they experienced, and as many trauma victims, are detaching themselves from the feelings so they can make decisions without shutting down and losing their opportunity to make a choice at all.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Homophobia, Incest, Self harm, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Vomit, Death, and Miscarriage