Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Het verhaal van de Dienstmaagd by Margaret Atwood

133 reviews

marissasa's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

I read this classic not knowing anything about it other than that it had a dystopian setting that was very oppressive to women, and I feel like that short description sums up the extent of its social commentary. I wasn't really impressed or moved by the narrative, and while there were a few interesting moments and characters, for the majority of the book I was just bored. I felt like there were a lot of questions and not a lot of answers in this story, and even the answers that were given didn't feel compelling or deep. I am writing this review about a month late after I finished the book and the fact I can barely remember details about it just emphasizes how little this book impacted me or left any kind of memorable impression.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Bullying, Grief, Sexual content, Torture, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault

kjwalkerrr19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

This book is a masterpiece of writing and detail. When she says in her introduction of the 2017 rerelease that I read, “God is in the details; but so is the devil”, she meant that shit! I’ve never read a book so capable of uniquely, attentively, and consistently details everything about every setting. Smell, texture, props, history, just truly everything. At times I was getting lost in the detail and zoning out, and I’d have to zone back in. 

My hot take for this book is I didn’t find it as shocking as I was expecting to because of the horrors I’ve lived through myself as a woman in the United States the past 3 years, so it made the book more realistic, which is so sad to say. I was disappointed by my lack of surprise from the capabilities of the new government of this book because my own has already let me down so much. 

I think Margaret Atwood is a genius for this book, and no wonder it’s a classic and is studied. It is a stunning piece of literature with historical accuracy and religious notes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Rape, Torture, Violence, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexism

chavonnwshen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

This is white feminism fodder - the cast is entirely white as literally all the people of color in the book have  been exiled. Despite the book's glaring flaws in the light of intersectional feminism, the prose really is beautiful. The plot is tightly woven and the characters are complex. I can definitely see why it's considered a classic. Not the best book I've ever read, but far from the worst. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Infertility, Trafficking, Torture, Blood, and War

peachy_reader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Body shaming, Death, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Homophobia, Gaslighting, War, Physical abuse, and Violence

christinewonder's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Torture, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Murder, Confinement, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Police brutality

Minor: Vomit, Miscarriage, and War

mgcalder's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.25

Whilst Margret Attwood is clearly an excellent writer, and the concept of the book is fascinating, I found the story itself to be somewhat lacking. The open ending also seemed at odds with the rest of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Slavery, Infertility, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War, Body shaming, Death, Self harm, Abortion, Confinement, Medical content, Physical abuse, Blood, Mental illness, and Murder

another_dahlia's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Death, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Child death, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Infertility, Trafficking, Suicide, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Colonisation, Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Biphobia, Torture, Classism, Death of parent, Transphobia, Violence, and War

littlehedgehog's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective 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

4.75

This is a really important work of dystopian fiction, one of those "every one should have read it at least once in their lifetime"  books. However, the pacing was a bit too slow for me sometimes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, and Trafficking

Moderate: Torture and Suicide

rchulin1's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow I loved this book immensely. It is very dark but so worth it every sentence word paragraph was so well thought out and placed I found myself imagining all the reasons for each placement though this book is on the shorter side the story feels so long in a good way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, War, Violence, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Classism, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Medical content, Miscarriage, Child death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, Deportation, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Confinement, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

eleanorashcroftsmith's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Slavery, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Grief, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Miscarriage, Death, Violence, Abortion, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexism, Murder, Misogyny, Medical trauma, and Gore