Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Greek Myths: A New Retelling by Charlotte Higgins, Chris Ofili

6 reviews

aseel_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

Pros of reading this as an audiobook: I know how to say the names 
Cons of reading this as an audiobook: too many characters to keep in check, so I sometimes forgot whose story we were in. 

This was a fine collection of different greek myths, nothing too amazing, although I liked the anchoring of the stories to the act of weaving, quite unique. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, War, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Infidelity, Slavery, Violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Animal death, Child death, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Torture

emmonsannae's review

adventurous informative reflective fast-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? Yes

5.0

A really nice collection of myths. C.H. doesn't glamorize or soften any of the original content (which inevitably forces the reader to ask why these stories are worth preserving, and what they say about us who came up with or reread them). I think this is a great read because it challenges an optimistic anthropology and forces uncomfortable questions about humans/nature/history/culture. It is a feminist retelling, to the extent that it centralizes women's experiences and imagines their desires and opinions. Women here aren't one-line tragedies of rape, abandonment, grief, or faithless gods while heroes galavant through their brave deeds. C.H. puts the women and their tragedies at the forefront while the heroes are peripheral, with the effect that the heroes' carelessness and disregard add to the womens' tragedies rather than enhancing the heroes’ fame. C.H. frames the story through a series of described tapestries, giving her Greek women an agency and a voice which historically was theirs in order to tell stories that historically weren't. That framing is beautifully done, too. (The book also has an excellent notes section which doubles as a classics text resource.) 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Torture, Grief, Infidelity, Suicide, Ableism, Infertility, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Death, War, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Genocide, and Rape

elenakperez's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Cannibalism, Incest, Infidelity, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Child death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, War, Sexual assault, Violence, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Child abuse, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Genocide, and Sexism

bexh's review

adventurous challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, War, Violence, Infertility, Murder, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism

lindseyhall44's review

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

Greek Retellings are definitely becoming popular in the modern scope of literature, but this novel was so unique in its execution while still tying in elements of the well known stories.
Greek Myths: A New Retelling follows several women from the Greek legends and lore. Some are more famous  such as Helen, Circe, and Penelope, yet some are less discussed, such as Philomela.  Utilizing the historic significance of tapestries, each woman tells their story and those of others through the symbolic weaving of tapestry.
One thing I would know before reading is that the Greek Myths are not following the singular progression of a character, like Pat Barkers Silence of the Girls or Madeline Millers, Circe. Instead it is the lives of many, human/immortal, hero/villain.
In this amazing collection of perspectives, the women are given a change to change the world with their art. Is there anything more amazing then that?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Death, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death of parent, Murder, and War

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Slavery, Suicide, and Trafficking

sioned_warren's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Gore, Murder, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Incest