Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Pod taflą by Louise O'Neill, Andrzej Goździkowski

12 reviews

lais's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Faltou um epílogo resumindo como as coisas ficaram

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kirstenf's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No

2.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bethsbooketlist's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

So much of this I really loved (for the majority I could not put it down) but there were some fundamental things about Muirgen 's time above water I did not, and some things felt a bit jointed. But overall I did like and glad I read. I appreciated the strong female message (though possibly a bit overdone at times for me personally) 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lsylvie's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

3.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kimmyv's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

nereanovak's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring fast-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? It's complicated

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jenmachin_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

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

3.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

miserablemoons's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

3.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

danajoy's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

persphones's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is a dark/feminist retelling of the little mermaid.

From the get go, you can see how patriarchal and sexist the mermaid society is. It might be a bit too on the nose, but still, it works and it's a good critique.

The instalove trope is obviously there - it's the little mermaid, guys - and while a bit annoying, you can see some underlying tones that things will go wrong in the future for our protagonist. 

Gaia (our Ariel) is a young girl who is in love with a pretty dude she has never met. That said, it can be kind of annoying, but that is kind of the point of the story.

I liked the construction of the mermaid society, but I do think the writing could have been a bit better. Again, a bit too on the nose for me, all the plot twists a bit too obvious and the foreshadowings were not that subtle. 

I did like the book - I like retellings, especially dark ones, and I love the little mermaid original story. This one is as brutal and painful (and gorey, if that's not something you're into!) as the original.

But I Think Elana K Arnold's dark retellings set a standard too high for me to truly love this book.

Some CW for the book are rape, gore, violence.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings