Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

2 reviews

laurenw's review

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Miscarriage, Car accident, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Suicide, Violence, War, Xenophobia, and Body horror

Moderate: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Abortion, Antisemitism, Pregnancy, Rape, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

readerette's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-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

I debated what to say in my review of this book. It's an intriguing set of literary devices, to be sure--stories within stories within stories, nonstandard narrator approach, nonlinear flow, interweaving "news articles" into a narrated plot. It takes quite a writer to ensure that those devices don't become cacophonous, and I think Atwood succeeds in that regard.

It's not a happy tale, which has been my experience with Atwood's other works. There is a great deal of depth in each character, and many different ways that depth is achieved. The level of unhappiness feels true to life--believable, if a bit fatiguing as a reader. There are laugh-out-loud funny moments mixed in with commentary on the meaning of life and wisdom of the choices we make. No character is perfect or overly trope-y. 

The pacing was too slow for my taste, and there was too much content that didn't feel like it added anything except length. I believe others might see that as the way the narrator thinks or different characters engage in the world of the narrator, but for me, the excess was just dull.

Overall, I do recommend for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, slow burn mysteries, or reflective characters.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Bullying, Body shaming, Car accident, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping