Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

269 reviews

puseyhawk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

OMGOODNESS!!! This was STUNNING! The writing… delectable. The story…  challenging. The world building… encapsulating. The questions raised… confronting. The future portrayed… terrifying. 

This was such a dark, difficult, disturbing, yet gripping read. I was so taken aback by the writing style, the voice, the main character, the themes, the world building, the complex issues and ideas being addressed, the narrative structure, and even the narrative framing device used at the end. This is a complex and layered yet very primal emotional read. Just a harrowing tale to read. Honestly… I just loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Murder, Slavery, Racism, Suicide, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Infertility, Classism, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, War, Lesbophobia, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Alcohol, Antisemitism, and Abortion

bettap's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Violence, Suicide, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Self harm

baileykimball's review against another edition

dark

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

samshort's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

Great book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Child death, Murder, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Infertility, Medical trauma, Body horror, Animal death, Grief, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Confinement, Kidnapping, Antisemitism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Slavery, Rape, Alcohol, Sexism, Sexual violence, Blood, Death, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, War, and Trafficking

chdeaver's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Extremely slow to start. A lot of prose to the point that it felt excessive. Once it got going and revealed the plot, it was a lot more interesting and I finished it quickly, though I started skipping over some of the iterative prose that probably has some Deep Meaning, but that I didn't really feel like deciphering because I wanted to know what was happening.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abortion, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Suicide, and War

kayjezza's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Murder, Death, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, and Confinement

The story is sort of based around the concept of sort of mandatory sex with a random person assigned to you. And that person is treated like Harry Potter in his broom cupboard, except they go to school for child bearing not magic and aren’t allowed to have friends.

natashaball's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Trafficking

alexandrasavescu's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

rowy148's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Sexism, Classism, Pregnancy, Rape, Confinement, and Suicide

aneal03's review against another edition

It was EXTREMELY upsetting to me. Very powerful and well written, I just could not finish it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual content