Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

570 reviews

graffitithesky's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

Through the first half of this book, I was thinking, "This book will probably be a 4 or a 4.5 rating for me, it's good but there are a couple parts that are putting me off/triggering (

Deidameia with Patroclus, the descriptions of Peleus taking Thetis

)". But I finished the book and as you can see, it earned its 5 from me. Throughout the book, the storytelling of this well-known and oft-rewritten myth was done spectacularly well. As someone who knows both Homeric epics well, I could truly appreciate the foreshadowing Miller used throughout the novel (and dear god did I want to bawl just at the foreshadowing). The characters were given new life and personalities that made me feel even more attached to them, and it allowed the tragedy I knew was coming to hit me square in the jaw.

The depictions of Achilles' grief were poignant and devastating, the despair of Patroclus watching his philtatos suffer his death and unable to join him in death was heartwrenching.

Overall, this novel was fantastic, and I absolutely loved it. Now I'm going to go ice my eyes because they're still puffy after sobbing for an hour over this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Death, Grief, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and War

Minor: Infidelity, Animal death, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

echolliot's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, War, Sexual violence, Grief, Blood, Sexual content, Homophobia, Death, and Slavery

Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Trafficking, Gore, Infidelity, and Terminal illness

Minor: Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Classism, and Pregnancy

mconroy9137's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Violence, War, Sexual harassment, and Rape

Moderate: Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Torture, Classism, Deportation, Grief, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child death, Confinement, Homophobia, Vomit, Abandonment, and Child abuse

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Death of parent, Sexual content, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Cursing

residentgremlin's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Minor: Transphobia and Pregnancy

kjm19's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Amazing writing - vivid and evocative. 

Love the realistic portrayal of how women are perceived in this world. I love that Patroclus grows in his opinions on women and people too. Contrasted with Achilles and his views because he can only be focused on himself. 

I think maybe a bit of pacing inconsistencies at the start of the war… partly felt rushed and partly felt weeded out a bit. 

More character distinction would’ve been good, but I’m being really picky now. 

The last chapter is amazing. Many tears fell. Amazing book and fleshed out story of a classic myth. 

I feel the 1984 pull to the book now. Beautiful and I loved it. I cried a lot in my final sitting of the read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Sexual content, and Slavery

Moderate: Biphobia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Outing, Pregnancy, and Rape

Minor: Alcohol and Adult/minor relationship

babsy_burns's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and War

momma_mars's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Sexual violence, and War

Moderate: Rape and Slavery

a_novi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

3.75

This book was an interesting take on some Greek mythology. I read it because of a blind recommendation and I will say it is not family friendly, it not only has quite a bit of in depth death and injury descriptions but also some sex scenes. Over all the battles and challenges along with the characters were interesting and the sex scenes were not too forced, detailed or cringey so overall I still found it pretty tasteful and enjoyable. But it is definitely not any story of Achilles one may be expecting. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Child death, Murder, Slavery, War, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Gore, and Sexual violence

reiverse's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infidelity, War, Vomit, Sexual content, Torture, Slavery, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, and Hate crime

chloewilson_13's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

So many emotions stirred up whilst reading. From rage at reading the way women were (and still are) treated during war and violence to sadness over the last few chapters. The History of Man is a song that replayed over and over in my head whilst reading it. So many amazing quotes throughout too, Madeline sure knows how to word things perfectly.

And perhaps it is the greatest grief, after all, to be left on earth, when another is gone

I could recognise him by touch alone, by smell, I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.

He is a weapon, a killer. Do not forget it. You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.

He is half my soul, as the poets say.

It is right to seek peace for the dead. You and I both know there is no peace for those who live after.

But fame is a strange thing. Some men gain glory after they die, while others fade. What is admired in one generation is abhorred in another.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Sexual violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and War

Moderate: Rape and Grief