Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

23 reviews

chloe_hazel's review

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

leonormsousa's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

myrymayranen's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Racism and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Stalking

librarymouse's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I have so many feelings and questions about this book. It's so beautifully written. I caught some of the extra detail in the book, but I know there are hundreds of details and references sewn into the book that I've missed on this first read through. One instance that was particularly impactful was the mention of verbena and jonquil on page 177 and pine on page 178, after his visit with the Isaacs. Their respective meanings of prayer or a request to pray for an individual; forgiveness or a desire that affection be returned; and endurance, piety, and hope in adversity add so much to the characterization of David, yet the description of flowers scenting the air fits so neatly into the scene setting that they could comfortably be ignored. David Lurie is intensely easy to dislike, yet there are instances in which he is not quite redeemed, but is humanized and brought out of his self-reflective/self centered stupor. He has a main character complex to the point of near delusion. Despite his continual fall towards lust, he does seem to learn something, though I'm not sure what. He learns loss and grief, learns that he is incapable of compromise in many ways but is capable of letting go of what he cannot control. Coetzee does a fantastic job with these characters and their individual and collective shames.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Confinement, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Colonisation

Minor: Abortion and Lesbophobia

theoreads's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

This is one of those books that I really wanted to like, but wound up hating instead. Heavy subject matter aside, the writing is solid enough - good, but not great - and it kept me engaged. That said, I would pay actual money to unread this. I don’t usually mind unlikable protagonists, but this book had so many unredeemable, g-dawful characters that I couldn’t get past, which made it difficult to feel connected to what was happening. Wouldn’t read it again, going straight in my donation pile. 

⭐️ 3.75 for writing
⭐️ 3.5 for “value in discussion” (I can see this being interesting in a seminar context re: its (allegorical) depiction of South Africa in the wake of Apartheid, although I’d imagine I’d get far too heated about how much I dislike this book)
⭐️ 1 for literally everything else

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death, Gore, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Stalking and Abortion

sarahhead's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Rape

Moderate: Animal death and Violence

Minor: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Pregnancy

asheichstadt's review

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Torture

Moderate: Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

teddywinter's review

challenging dark reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

2treads's review against another edition

challenging sad fast-paced

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

3.0

No doubt that this is very well written, but what kept running through my mind was the entitled predatory nature of this professor man who pursued a sexual relationship with his student ()she wasn't the only one). The depiction of the young lady made her seem vapid and detached. Her dialogue and actions seemed so engaged as if she was participating through some veil.

David Lurie is such a misogynistic prick. He behaves as if he had every right to take what he wanted when he wanted. The arrogance to recognize what he is doing but to go through with it anyway was despicable. Coetzee is clever in paralleling certain subjects that Lurie teaches with his actions in his personal life.

Has there ever been a more despicable human, every time we get some rumination that points to a reckoning with his lecherous and chauvinistic train of thought, here comes the sexist train to sweep him back unto the path he had barely stepped from.

He did not appreciate women who did not put any effort into their appearance; Her tight little body are just some of the stomach turning observances of this man. He is loathsome.

And yet all of this speaks to Coetzee's skill at depicting this man with such realistic clarity so that his readers react viscerally.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

the_pysselfia's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Bra bok, hatar huvudkaraktären

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment