Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - The Awakening

Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

10 reviews

melancholymegs's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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savvylit's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I'm so glad that I finally read this classic novella! Chopin's prose is gorgeous and evocative. From the first page, I felt instantly transported to postbellum upper-class society in New Orleans. This story is positively dripping with descriptions of dinner parties, formal outfits, and fancy homes.

Most importantly, though, it's easy to see the lasting significance of this classic work. The Awakening is aptly titled: the story follows main character Edna as she has an awakening that dramatically changes her conventional life. Edna begins to realize that she doesn't love her husband, nor does she love performing any conventional housewife duties. Edna then readily admits to herself - and the reader - that she is attracted to several men who are not her husband and that she desires to live alone. Those facts all make it quite easy to imagine why this book was considered scandalous when published in 1899. A woman acknowledging that she was bored in her marriage and attracted to other men? How dare she! And how dare Chopin write such a nuanced and beautifully composed story of feminine self-discovery?

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paigeinabook's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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booksanna's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.5

Edit: changed my mind from 5->4.5
This book is very exciting and peaceful at the same time. There’s a lot of emotions involved and you experience Edna’s journey along with her. Excitement, sadness, isolation, confusion, peace, happiness, passion, desire and at last numbness. The journey from Edna’s awakening to her

Alleged death

Is so eventful and immersing. Even though the book was written in the 1900s, It is so clear to understand the message of bodily autonomy. Kate Chopin wrote a controvercial story, indeed, it had a great meaning.
The characters of the story are portrayed, so realisticly that I forgot the story was real. Personally, I loved Mademoiazelle Reisz and her beautifl music and sarcastic comments. She trulay was a person with a soul the size of a whale. Adelle was truly wonderful, and I loved that Edna her were friends. Even though they are complete opposites, their love for each other is stronger than death. Leonce, Robert, and Alcee were all interesting LIs, obviously they truly helped our Edna’s journey.

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