Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Circe by Madeline Miller

338 reviews

crowcrow's review

challenging dark sad

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

4.0

As always Madeline Miller delivers. Her writing style is a delight, it's comforting and you can tell she puts a lot of work into it. I was absolutely captivated the moment I started reading, Circe was such a compelling character no matter where she was. I was rooting for her the entire time. The side characters were also compelling, I was particularly excited to see Odysseus, but I was surprised how interest she made the others too. I think the book's best quirk was the complexity between all of Circe's relationships, it was so fun to read.

I'd also like to give it props for how it portrayed SA. I was afraid that it would change Circe's completely, completely rewriting her to be weak and scared, but no! It was handled extremely well! I like that it shows that trauma doesn't need to tie you down. I appreciate it!

All that aside I was extremely disappointed in the ending.

I found it morbid that Circe hooked up with Telemachus. Y'know? Her past lover's son. Icks all over the floor and sky. Wtf? Why was that necessary. And the daydreams she had of them having kids? Yuck, no.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Rape

kds247's review against another edition

adventurous reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

4.25

This book doesn’t have much of a plot but the descriptiveness of it is just stunning. The writing feels like a warm blanket and even though some horrible things happen in this book, Circe’s inner monologue is gorgeous. Miller can really capture thoughts and emotions perfectly onto a page

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Gore, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, War, and Sexual content

Minor: Torture and Injury/Injury detail

lilithlake's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

The language is beautiful, I love the protagonist Circe and all the characters were well written. 
I’m left with a lot of questions still though about the lore. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Death, Animal death, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Rape

Minor: Death, Torture, Sexism, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Misogyny, Blood, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Incest, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Content warning: In chapter 14 there is a scene where Circe gets raped, and all the men around her watch it happening, it describes her being held against her will and chocked but doesn’t describe the act of rape in detail, mainly it focuses on the aftermath.

mafelrs's review

adventurous reflective relaxing slow-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Blood, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Alcohol, Sexism, Child abuse, and Animal death

Minor: Pregnancy and Death

marinajonesreads's review

adventurous emotional informative reflective sad fast-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

3.75

This was a decent book! My initial rating was 3.5 but then after discussing with my book club, I gave it a 3.75. I liked that there was more of a peeling back than I initially thought. I enjoyed the characters and the behind the scenes of some of my favorite stories, even if I wanted more of it. Solid book, would absolutely recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Confinement

Moderate: Violence, Blood, Rape, War, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Abandonment, and Animal death

moond4ncer's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Animal death, Classism, Grief, Pregnancy, Violence, War, Blood, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Forced institutionalization

siennaflynn's review

adventurous challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Rape, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror

el_wheel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Violence, Body horror, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Alcohol, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Abandonment and Rape

spookyaz's review

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, War, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Bullying, Gore, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

slefebvre95's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Sexual violence, Body horror, Infidelity, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Rape, Pregnancy, Murder, Gore, Torture, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Confinement, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol