Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Matrix by Lauren Groff

26 reviews

bronzeageholly's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Animal death, Grief, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Rape, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Bullying, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Cancer

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-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? Yes

4.25

Review:

Admittedly, it took me nearly 200 pages to really start to get used to Matrix by Lauren Groff and its poetic, fluid, somewhat stream-of-consciousness writing style as well as its unique storyline that often produces more questions than answers. Even then, it was not until the end of the story that I fully appreciated the book for what it is. At the heart of the story is the character of Marie, an admirable but flawed nun whose ambition leads her to transform a starving, poor abbey into a magnificent, self-sustaining wealthy fortress. Marie’s character arc is wonderfully executed, and I appreciated the large cast of supporting characters as well.

 

My favorite part of Matrix, however, is its thematic exploration of religion, feminism, ambition, power, sapphic love, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. This is the sort of book that I could read many times over and glean new meaning each time; it is the type of book that begs to be analyzed in a literature class. Groff trusts in the intelligence of her readers and never oversimplifies or hits the reader over the head in order to make her point.

 

 

 

The Run-Down: 

You will probably like Matrix if:

·      You go into the book with an open mind

·      You are someone who is interested in themes of religion and queerness

·      You enjoy poetic writing styles

 

You might not like Matrix if:

·      You dislike flowery writing and fluid plot structure

·      You prefer exciting plots and clear explanations for events

 

A Similar Book: 

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladsone. Similarities between these books include:

·      Beautiful, lyrical, intelligent prose

·      Friend/enemy relationship between two strong women from different worlds

·      Themes of feminism, queerness and humanity’s relation to the natural world

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Sexism

Moderate: Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Physical abuse, Blood, Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, and Classism

Minor: Excrement, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Infidelity, Death of parent, Violence, War, Torture, and Toxic friendship

piastri's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.75

oh i could say something about the beauty of women crafting their own ideas of religion based on their own love and life or about how this book means the world to me as a sapphic woman currently grappling with religion and what it means in my life, but lauren groff stole it all with her beautiful prose

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Animal death, and Misogyny

Minor: Cancer

mothie_girlie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual content, Rape, and Animal death

Minor: Pregnancy

laurajeangrace's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Animal death, Death of parent, and Death

Minor: Violence, War, and Sexism

apersonfromflorida's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Animal death

Minor: Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Rape

erica_palmisano's review

emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.5

Gorgeous language, a fascinating period, and amazing characterization. The narrator was topnotch, and u recommend the audiobook. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Lesbophobia

Minor: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, and War

prettiestwhistles's review against another edition

inspiring reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness and Death

Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Child death, and Sexual content

Minor: Islamophobia and Dementia

literarylion's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.75

Pros:

• A unique and refreshing take on historical fiction, especially medieval historical fiction
• Strong character development 
• Groff's grasp of medieval verbiage and phrasing is precise but not overwhelming to the point of seeming cheap

Cons:

• Extremely slow; frustratingly so at times
• The pacing and structure are a bit muddied; I wasn't clear on what separated each section from the next
• Pretty dense

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and War

Minor: Alcohol and Rape

sarahna's review against another edition

hopeful 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual content