Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

48 reviews

seventhswan's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

I do so wish this book hadn't been narrated by a man - even more so when I realised it was set in the 21st century, which wasn't immediately apparent due to the setting of the Mennonite community. I sort of understand why this choice was made, but I still think it would have been completely possible to have a woman narrator or a third-person narration; however sympathetic, I didn't want to read about violence against women and decision-making by women from a man's perspective.

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.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Suicide

Minor: Vomit, Death, Gun violence, and Incest

musicalkat16's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny

Minor: Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Incest, Dementia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Cursing, and Death of parent

annahollamby's review

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Compelling and profound. Not a fan of the fact that the story is told from the perspective of a male narrator, though I understand the reasoning. I hate, with every fibre of my being, that it is based on real-life events. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Deadnaming

nellamaneiro's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring 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? N/A

4.5

Toews’ storytelling is clever and inventive. The book is told through the eyes of a man, which I was first confused by, but Toews’s writing quickly convinced me it was the best choice. This book achieves an imagined re-telling of true events that feels so authentic. I was expecting a depressing read, but found the complete opposite. It describes a patriarchy so cruel it makes you question God, but the women are somehow able to make sense of it and separate man’s evil from God’s will. Their faithfulness is not the end of them. Overall a fascinating exploration of the thousands of social ties that force women into complex decision-making and paradoxical philosophy. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse and Incest

alyssa2012's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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? No

2.5

---

Content Warnings

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

kirstinlwx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Incest, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

laceystairs's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

Wow! This book was not what I was expecting. It is heartbreaking and also somehow hopeful. Exploring the options of a group of women as they come up with possible solutions to a devastating problem which has been affecting their community. The female relationships in this story are the center and the soul of the book, but it is also about how the women relate to the men, children, and outside world around them. I think that everybody should read this book, even though it deals with difficult subject matter. It's important. It's a story that needs to be shared.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Self harm, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Domestic abuse, and Incest

sterlingreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

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

cpersin's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Violence, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, Self harm, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Incest, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, and Gore

sunbathingturtle's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I finished this book moments ago and am thankful for its existence. 

Within the confines of a hayloft, Miriam Toews creates a deep ecosystem of life, social webs, shared history, thought, and—most importantly—characters that feel so very real.

I’m in awe of the format and storytelling of this book. Masterful craft.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Domestic abuse, Incest, Grief, Child abuse, Alcohol, Confinement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt