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queen_of_the_rats's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Body horror, Child death, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual assault, War, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Death, Torture, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Confinement, Gore, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Deportation, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Misogyny, Blood, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cannibalism
beauvisseau's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Although the main character, Briseis, does not have a highly developed character, I feel that it fits with her state of being. The grief of losing her loved ones but also one's self can turn you into a shell of memories and thoughts.
One point of criticism though, is that I would have liked to see more perspectives of different women there. It is a missed opportunity to switch between Briseis, Patroclus and Achilles, when two of those three narratives have already been explored for centuries but so many narratives are missing.
Amazing work of fiction that truly expands upon the existing narratives and opened my eyes to many new ideas about war, feminism, story-telling, slavery and power. Would recommend to anyone.
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, War, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Genocide, Gore, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Physical abuse, and Xenophobia
priscilla's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
What a fantastic book. The writing was phenomenal and, though it did feel a bit slow at times and a bit gruesome at others (and there was one particular bit of fatphobia towards one character that didn't sit well with me at all), I feel like it did exactly what it set out to do. It shows Briseis perspective on an age-old story, but without losing sight of the fact that she is, to some degree, powerless and trapped in a narrative that never cared for her.
The writer used some amazing devices to get right to the reader's heart, for example in the scene where
This book deals with the harsh conditions that Briseis and the other Trojan women live in in a very matter-of-fact way, which only highlights just how awful it all is.
At the same time, there were a few times where I laughed out loud, most notably when
All in all, a great book.
Graphic: Rape and Slavery
Minor: Fatphobia and Animal cruelty
bibliobetty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I appreciated the writing style and commentary and definitely found it worth the read but probably won't come back for another read.
Graphic: Slavery, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, War, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child death, and Gore
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Gore, War, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Suicide, Sexual content, Sexism, Rape, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
kirareads02's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I could write so much about this book and perhaps I will come back to this review and add more when I think of it. I am very excited to read the second book. I can't think where it would be picked up so I can't wait.
<Spoiler> Also, was there a little shade thrown on that last page about making this story a love story? <Spoiler>
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Death of parent, Suicide, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Child death, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and War
Moderate: Pregnancy and Cursing
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
thevintageflowerfaerie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, War, Slavery, Rape, Misogyny, Death, Body horror, Blood, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Trafficking, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Alcohol
teddywinter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.5
Graphic: War, Suicide, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child death, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Murder, Kidnapping, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Medical content, Gore, and Blood
kitkatkick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Toxic friendship, War, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Genocide, Murder, and Slavery
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Pregnancy, Suicide, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Child death, Classism, and Kidnapping
Minor: Child abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Torture, and Panic attacks/disorders