Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

47 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.

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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

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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

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

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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

hazybee's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Rape

singingsfun's review

challenging dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Favorite quote from the book: 
“Leaving would give us the more far superior perspective we need to forgive, which is to love properly and to keep the peace according to our faith. Therefore, our leaving would not be an act of cowardice, abandonment, disobedience, or rebellion. It wouldn’t be because we were excommunicated or exiled. It would be an extreme act of faith.”

This book is heavy, depressing, infuriating, empowering, hopeful, sometimes funny, and full of faith. And I love it!  

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Child abuse and Suicidal thoughts

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

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Content Warnings

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

maxgold's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

I want to note that the characters are not diverse in the sense they are all Mennonite (presumably white or at least all the same race) women. But they’re diverse in the sense of views and personalities. Meaning incredibly diverse in those sense. The author really does an incredible job at showing how not all people in a religious cult are going to think in the same way. Their motives are all similar, yet their drive is very diverse. Their reactions are diverse. It really dirigés the book I think.

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Content Warnings

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

dark emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Death and Drug abuse

enemanishen's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Rape, and Religious bigotry

karmapen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt