Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Galatea by Madeline Miller

93 reviews

naomi_k's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Confinement, and Violence

Minor: Abortion, Medical content, and Pregnancy

thebookbin's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

 This book review was delayed in solidarity with the HarperCollins Union Strike. 

This short little story is a gut-punch to the face. Please be wary of any triggers you may have before picking up this book or even continuing this review. We all know and trust Miller's interpretations of history and myth from her fantastic work on both Circe and The Song of Achilles. 

Galatea is no exception. The fact that so much research had to be dedicated just to finding out the name 'Galatea' in the story of Pygmalion is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the brutal misogyny of this book. 

Miller gives Galatea life, and illuminates the dark corners that stories like this pose. The idea of a man giving life to a statue seems fine on the surface, but when you take into the account Galatea's loss of agency, and Pygmalion's disgust with female identity, empowerment, and sexuality--the sweet  story of love becomes a tale of horror, and that's what this is. 

While I love Galatea's quiet snark, and I acknowledge that many women would find empowerment in Galatea's demise, but to me it was hollow and painful. Yes, she got to die on her own terms, but it was still unsatisfying. The entire short story I was feeling how I felt when my dad doesn't take me seriously, or my grandparents cherish their male grandchildren and ignore my sister and I. The dismissal of working in a female-dominated field. The rage, pain, and shame of a sexual assault. Her return to stone felt like a kick when you're already down. 

It's hard to explain, but I don't want every feminist story to end in painful tragedy. It's not that I want to pretend that pain and tragedy never existed, especially for women, because I believe we all intimately know that would be a lie. But at the same time the message that women can only ever find solace in death is one that I deny with my whole heart. It gives Kate Chopin The Awakening vibes and while I acknowledge and respect this era in feminist history, I, personally am ready to move past it and embrace and cherish and love all that makes me a woman. 

3/5 complicated feminist retelling stars 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Abortion, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, and Physical abuse

Minor: Pedophilia

lacrimaeignis's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The story of Galatea and Pygmalion is one that has always been a source of controversy for many. Madeline Miller's version tells the story from Galatea's perspective and allows Galatea to have a hand in her own destiny rather than being forced to abide by Pygmalion's desires. It would have been interesting to see how things would have played out in a full novel version of the story but the short definitely covers everything it needed to. With it being a short story, it echoes the tradition of many mythological sources especially Ovid's Metamorphoses which Miller was inspired by for this retelling.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Confinement, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Suicide

courtharman's review against another edition

dark sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Physical abuse, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, Death, Misogyny, Body shaming, and Suicide

cviii's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Body shaming, Confinement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual content

emmyhall's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

anneroza's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Confinement, Misogyny, Murder, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death of parent, Medical content, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

thesawyerbean's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

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

2.5

This was an interesting short story with a poignant message about misogyny and patriarchal ‘ownership’ within the scope of Greek myth. 

I did however think the voice was strange and alien to the context - it read more like a contemporary than a myth retelling, which isn’t necessarily a problem but made it read rather weirdly. 

The afterword in this edition was amazing for explaining how Madeline Miller came about writing this adaptation and the discourse she intended to portray.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexism, Abortion, Medical content, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Cursing, and Sexual content

lqvekanej's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault

jazzyiz87's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Rape, and Emotional abuse