Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

60 reviews

sydapel's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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? No

3.5

 For me, this is an issue of form rather than subject matter. Perhaps because I was reading this knowing it would become a movie, but I struggled heavily with how limited this feels textually, particularly as it's through a male perspective. Which I know is part of the point, and I would have fun arguing about that in an English classroom. 

If you're looking for an really profound philosophical debate about faith, forgiveness, guilt, anger and difficult choices that women living in deeply patriarchal societies face, this excels. It's hard to digest, especially knowing it's based on reality, so please do check trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood and Excrement

reneereads's review against another edition

dark inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Rape

the_beatific_bluestocking's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

📖 Book Review + Spoilers 📖

Snow in the spring and we're all quite grouchy. We pump our bike tires, pack away our sweaters, rejoice in the sunshine to every soul we meet, even though we know, we KNOW this happens. ❄️

What a trip to read this book while my little corner of the world erupts in a second round of seasonal affective disorder. 

Women Talking is the somewhat true story of a Bolivian Mennonite community in the early 2000s. For years the women believed they were being visited by ghosts, demons, even the devil in the night or made to believe the violence they experienced in their sleep was a figment of their wild imaginations. When the truth is revealed, more than 300 cases of rape over four years, the women have 48 hours to decide what they will make of their lives in the aftermath.

This book is dialogue heavy without a single quotation mark. Toews brilliantly blurs the lines of opinion, emotion, and description with this strategy. I often forgot I was reading a fictional account and got quite involved in their debates questioning love, faith, loyalty, forgiveness, and liberation in a completely unknown world. Suddenly, shoveling snow doesn't seem so bad.

Here's the spoiler‼️

In reality, the women never left the colony, they never fought for a new way forward, today several women are attempting to recant their testimony and free the imprisoned men. I feel my whole body react to this. I shovel snow and wonder how they can be saved, do I go to Bolivia myself, do they want to be saved, they must, this is unreal, this is real, this is happening, right now.

Women Talking pulled me outside of my own protected rural bubble, to feel the sharp pain of a stranger's experience, to feel, feel, feel...to remember this is why I read and this is what really good books are made of.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Death of parent

evanlyn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

thehistoriette's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful slow-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

sgrizzle's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

3.75

Finished this short book just in time to watch the movie adaptation just in time for the Oscars, where it is nominated for best picture. It is 100% what it says in the title, women talking. The women of a Mennonite colony decide what to do after it is discovered that for years, several of the men have been drugging and raping them at night. The book is set up as schoolteacher August, a man who was not involved, taking the minutes of the meeting. Framing the story of women about women and so women led yet told through the words of a man is an interesting choice (and one that is different in the movie). It’s both quiet and tense, philosophical and yet deeply practical, as these women decide their fates. Definitely not for everyone, and I don’t disagree with some of the criticisms I’ve seen, but ultimately I found it really moving, particularly knowing it is based on a true story. 

(As an aside, I read an interview with the author where she said she wanted to base a story on the real situation, but also she didn’t want it to be about the violence itself, since so many stories are about violence, but about coping with the aftermath. I really appreciate that take.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry

hinkleh's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism and Incest

vaguelyacademic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Minor: Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

kimveach's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

This is a weird little book.  It really is about women talking during a two-day meeting.  I found it strangely compelling, though.  I can't decide if I want to see the movie or not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

lindsayerin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, and Suicide

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts