Reviews tagging 'War'

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

46 reviews

solouncapitulomas's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

4.2

lady macbeth x macbeth is the ideal gaslight gatekeep girlboss x manipulate mansplain malewife, change my mind

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, and Violence

Moderate: War, Blood, and Child death

Minor: Suicide

fantasticdiana's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

4.0

Try reading this in a scottish accent!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: War

Minor: Suicide

The book is supposed to be based on a bloody ruler so if you don't want any mentions of blood, death, or violence, don't read. There is a small scene that is not described but does mention a person dying by their own hands. So if you don't even like the mention of suicide I wouldn't recommend.

blueberry0531's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Child death, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Suicide, and Violence

henyouise's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I think this play gets a bad rep. I did not feel like it was slow or boring or just brutal all around. I read whole acts at a time that's how engaged I was with the story! It's a look into man's desire for power and what lengths some will go to in order to gain that power.
Macbeth doesn't necessarily start out as a power hungry noble. He's seen as a loyal member of Duncan's court until he meets the witches who provide him with the temptation of being king. It's very psychological, really.
Also people who say there's no comedy in this play clearly did not make it to the last act:
"Macbeth: Damn the devil black tho cream faced loon! Where got'st thou that goose look?
Servant: There is ten thousand-
Macbeth: Geese, villan?
Servant: Soldiers, sir." (Macbeth V.III.12 - 16)
Is this Macbeth's descent into madness? yes. Is this also hilarious? yes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Blood, and Murder

farah_2007's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Frankly, I assumed that Macbeth would be mirdered in the end. But it was actually unexpected that Macduff killed in the end. Lady Macbeth's death was also unexpected plus it was suicide totally a heavy plot twist. It was actually a good read from Shakespeare but still I struggle reading the original English hence I need to go back and forth from original to translated one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicide attempt, Blood, War, Sexism, Genocide, Murder, and Death

reneetrinket's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Child death, Grief, Murder, War, and Infertility

susiebilashenne's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, Suicide, War, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Murder

allisonshewfelt's review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.0

"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes." - second witch
"What, you egg!" - murderer
These are both so iconic but the egg one is better

I don't know why I always find Shakespeare funny but this book was quick and really funny. I definitely loved it more than romeo and juliet. One of my goals was to read more dark books and this is definitely really dark. The audiobook is so good too. I don't think I would have gotten through it without it. I thought it was interesting how Macbeth didn't originally want to kill Duncan but then ofc our psychopath Lady Macbeth is greedy af and talked him into it. But then as the play progresses, he's now the overconfident and greedy one and she's troubled with all the murders. Like girl you literally started this. Ok but Banquo's ghost haunting Macbeth was hilarious, everyone thought he was mentally sick. And then he literally starts killing everyone, including his friends, and I'm like sir are you alright? I can't wait to see the new movie like the cinematography looks amazing and denzel washington...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Death, and War

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, and Slavery

rainetheghost's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: War

Minor: Grief

emilydee's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

lady macbeth is a girlboss fr she didnt deserve an offscreen death. macbeth spending 90% of the play worrying about the future should be relatable to the kids, would recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Child death, Death, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide