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musicalkat16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Incest, Dementia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Cursing, and Death of parent
saara_ilona_muu's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Incest
gmjohnson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Death, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Death, Murder, and Death of parent
cerys_ah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Rape
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Pregnancy, and Panic attacks/disorders
lk3ssaf's review against another edition
3.25
I didn't learn that the story was based on real crimes that took place against Mennonite women until after I had read the book.
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicide, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Death of parent
cait's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Dementia, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism
madelinequinne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, and Child abuse
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Suicidal thoughts
the_beatific_bluestocking's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Snow in the spring and we're all quite grouchy. We pump our bike tires, pack away our sweaters, rejoice in the sunshine to every soul we meet, even though we know, we KNOW this happens. ❄️
What a trip to read this book while my little corner of the world erupts in a second round of seasonal affective disorder.
Women Talking is the somewhat true story of a Bolivian Mennonite community in the early 2000s. For years the women believed they were being visited by ghosts, demons, even the devil in the night or made to believe the violence they experienced in their sleep was a figment of their wild imaginations. When the truth is revealed, more than 300 cases of rape over four years, the women have 48 hours to decide what they will make of their lives in the aftermath.
This book is dialogue heavy without a single quotation mark. Toews brilliantly blurs the lines of opinion, emotion, and description with this strategy. I often forgot I was reading a fictional account and got quite involved in their debates questioning love, faith, loyalty, forgiveness, and liberation in a completely unknown world. Suddenly, shoveling snow doesn't seem so bad.
Here's the spoiler‼️
In reality, the women never left the colony, they never fought for a new way forward, today several women are attempting to recant their testimony and free the imprisoned men. I feel my whole body react to this. I shovel snow and wonder how they can be saved, do I go to Bolivia myself, do they want to be saved, they must, this is unreal, this is real, this is happening, right now.
Women Talking pulled me outside of my own protected rural bubble, to feel the sharp pain of a stranger's experience, to feel, feel, feel...to remember this is why I read and this is what really good books are made of.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Graphic: Pedophilia, Misogyny, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse
chelly_reads's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Suicide
katierobertsonshaddix'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Rape, Incest, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Suicide, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Miscarriage, and Mental illness