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kers_tin's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and War
Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicide, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
guivx5's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
“The Silence of The Girls” relies on the famous Iliad story, a tale with so many different takes and interpretations that it has come to be known, even if just a bit, by everyone. I myself have started to enjoy stories based on greek epics when I first read Madeline Miller’s books. So I had high hopes on this one. And, honestly, it had everything to be really good. The dense characters; the abuses inflicted towards women, usually omitted in retellings; a rich scenario to explore. It had the bread and cheese, and it could’ve been a hell of a lunch. If the writing wasn’t such a slog.
Look, I’ve really tried to like this one. I really did. But getting through the chapters turned into a battle. The author writes like this, using commas repeatedly through the paragraphs, often turning phrases into a mess, a big mess, of convoluted information, agonizing confusion, crossing each other, making the long paragraphs often composed of one or two sentences. It. Is. Really. Exhausting. This, mixed with the questionable narrative choices, made this book the biggest slog for me.
Overall, it’s The Iliad in some way, so it’s good in some way, although I do feel that this book is not so friendly towards people who don’t have much knowledge about the original story. It’s sad it turned out this way for me.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition
It is very sexual and has so much rape in it. I realize that’s because it is a retelling of the Trojan War, but I did not like this. It is cruel.
However, the writing, while not my cup of tea, is quite good.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
introverted_reads's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Death, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, and War
Moderate: Cursing, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death and Excrement
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: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lotten4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and War
Moderate: Pedophilia, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Minor: Self harm, Vomit, Medical content, and Alcohol
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: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing and Pregnancy
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
jessy_03's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
ellida'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? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
hfleur's review
- 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
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Misogyny