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jaz_aiken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
seventhswan's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Apart from that, though, the actual writing of the book was masterfully done and made for a compelling read despite being, genuinely, very little more than a group of women having an important conversation in a barn. I got a great sense of the different characters and their various motivations, and wanted nothing but good things for them. I want to know what happened next - as well as what happened to the real women the book is based on.
Although the premise of the book relies on horrific sexual violence (so I've marked it as graphic), I'm grateful that it didn't rely on vivid depictions of this for shock value. The few sentences alluding to the impact of the violence on different women and girls both got the point across and demonstrated its routine nature in the community. You don't need to know exact details of what happened to the women - after all, they don't themselves - and I appreciated Toews' focus on the aftermath without resorting to flashbacks and trauma porn.
I would recommend this book, in spite of my issues with the parts of it that focused on August. It felt like an important read.
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Incest, and Vomit
lydsomtimesreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
kathryn_m_booth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
crrybbycancerr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I am grateful for the insight I was given into a religion I don’t know that much about it was very enlightening to learn more about their culture even if I do not agree with the ways the patriarchs of their colony chose to deal with the trauma their women endured. It’s important to give a voice to these women and their stories and I think they author did that masterfully.
Moderate: Rape
dobsonfly314's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
kirbykirbs11's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence
musicalkat16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Incest, Suicide, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
annahollamby's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide
lo_vana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence