Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Elektra by Jennifer Saint

3 reviews

nialiversuch's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Ableism, Blood, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, and War

tinyjude's review

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.5

A very emotional and poetic writing style that flows perfectly well with the three main protagonists. The story is filled by rage, grief and atrocities, but also ultimately, about love, honour, admiration and justice. A story in which the women's suffering and courage is highlighted instead of being diminished or hidden. They are complex women with different believes and desires, yet the author makes a fantastic job in their characterization, so you cant help but to understand and feel bad for them even if you disagree with their actions. Helen is both a complex and enigmatic character with agency in the eyes of these women, but reduced to a prize in the eyes of men. With such subtleties, the focus, which is put into the women related to Troy, the narrative vindicates these 'forgotten' characters and criticizes/attempts to create a feminist retelling that is both piercing and engaging.

Especially, what I have enjoyed the most is the portrayal of motherhood and mourning. The chapters that focused on Clytemnestra were by far my favourites. There is so many violence against women in this story (og and retellings) but the tenderness, the compassion she showed for other women's suffering through the novel made it such a compelling read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Death, War, Gore, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, and Rape

mokiethe_dog34's review

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

Everyone… sucked. They were all horrible people, but I guess in those days, that was considered normal? Slow-paced but well detailed and written. It’s hard to describe considering the situation at hand was very extensive, but overall it was a good book. Though I’d definitely re-read it to get a better grasp of it.

-SHOUTOUT TO MY BOI, ORESTES. he was chill-

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and War