Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Donne che parlano by Miriam Toews, Maurizia Balmelli

203 reviews

lisesenb's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

novelteareader's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Violence

Minor: Pedophilia

irenelpynn's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

jess_segraves's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child death, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Pregnancy

alisha247's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

agchalle's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

Beautiful book, beautiful imagining of resistance. It’s very sad so be mindful of content warnings. The movie is very true to the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

Minor: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

bdingz's review against another edition

dark hopeful sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Pregnancy

lianne_rooney's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Between 2005-2009, hundreds of women and girls in a Bolivian Mennonite colony were drugged and raped by male members of the colony. Women Talking is an imagined response to these events. The perpetrators are in jail and the majority of the remaining male members of the colony have gone to the city to seek bail for rapists. The women are expected to forgive the men for their actions on their return as this is required for entry into heaven. Over the course of a couple of days, the women gather in a barn to discuss their options - do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. They ask male teacher August - himself an outcast in the colony - to take notes of their discussions as none of the women have been taught to read.

I was absolutely engrossed in the women's discussions. Their position is terrible - if they stay not only will they be expected to forgive but they risk continued abuse. If they fight, they may lose and still be expected to forgive. Leaving is a daunting prospect since none of the women can read, write or even speak the local language. The book seems to suggest that the women getting together and talking is in itself an act of rebellion. Perhaps most surprising, given the subject matter, is the warmth and humour present. I felt it really captured the characters of the women and allowed them to be defined by more than what has been done to them. The story is ultimately a hopeful one. Despite their limited options the women still have agency.

My only minor criticisms are that at times it is a bit repetitive and there are so many characters introduced initially that at times I found it hard to keep them straight. Some of the content was very difficult to read so while I would recommend this, it's with caution to read the content warnings.

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Suicide

kateleos's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

Basically a one-day read, after seeing the movie last weekend. There were things I thought the movie did better - I didn't need the Koop boys and am glad Sarah Polley excised them - but I loved learning more about August. I don't think I needed his inner life in the film (and I'm grateful for Autje's voiceover), but I'm glad I got it this way. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

The content warnings seem very intense, but the violence is shared sparingly and without detail.

eriberry's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Rape