Reviews tagging 'Death'

Galatea by Madeline Miller

122 reviews

snowwhitehatesapples's review against another edition

sad fast-paced

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

2.0

 Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.

After reading and loving both The Song of Achilles and Circe , I'm sad that Galatea won't be joining the same ranks as them.

The premise and themes are interesting, and I appreciated the moments of sardonic humor. But, unfortunately, the story is very underwhelming and underwritten—a complete 180 from the brilliance that shines in the author's two novels. From Galatea , I had expected more nuances, more depth (outside of her sinking herself and her sculptor), though of course, not to the level of what her novels have. This is a short story, after all, and there's only so much one can do in a short story. Still, the nuances and depth did not appear, leaving me feeling unsatisfied by how shallow everything turned out.

Honestly, I feel that had there been a few more pages, a few more moments to make the Galatea more complex and human instead of a vessel to move a story forward mainly to deliver across points regarding the themes explored, maybe Galatea would've been as powerful as The Song of Achilles and Circe. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

lqvekanej's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault

jazzyiz87's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Rape

kayladaila's review against another edition

dark sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Pregnancy

2j4d3's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Sadly it is too short ☹️. 
I like that she is so strong, Even though it is so hard for her. An ode to feminism, once aigain well done Madeline Miller.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

diddydumplins's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

although short, this story was very impacting. I couldn't bond with the characters on such a brief novel, however felt sorry for their sufferings nonetheless. It was a great short read by Madeline Miller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Domestic abuse

belladonnashrike's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

god I wish this was a whole book, such a stunning short story 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Abortion

Minor: Body shaming and Cursing

abookwithtea's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

 “Tutti mi guardavano, perché ero la donna più bella della città. Non lo dico per vantarmi, perché non c’è nulla di cui vantarsi. Non era niente che avessi fatto io.”

Galatea è la rivisitazione in chiave moderna del mito greco dove la statua della donna prese vita per assecondare il desiderio di Pigmalione, il suo scultore. Lui vorrebbe da lei solo la cieca obbedienza ma questo controllo porterà solo alla disperata ricerca della libertà.

La prima cosa che salta all’occhio sono le fantastiche illustrazioni di Ambra Garlaschelli. Riescono a trasmettere lo stesso senso di reclusione che sicuramente prova Galatea e la scelta di colori è azzeccatissima.
Per quanto riguarda la narrazione, mi ha lasciata un po’ spiazzata. Ho sentito parlare molto bene di Madeline Miller (di cui ho in TBR La canzone di Achille) ma è la prima sua opera che leggo: non sono rimasta delusa ma le aspettative erano troppo alte per ciò che mi ha lasciato questo libro.
Ammetto di non conoscere il mito su cui si basa e sicuramente andrò a leggerlo ma questa sua rivisitazione non mi ha convinta del tutto, lasciando alcune delle mie domande senza risposta. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, and Domestic abuse

laurendenton's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

The short story Galatea is mediocre at best, a quippy feminist piece that seems as though it was written by anyone but Madeline Miller. On it's own, I would probably give it a 3-star rating. It was okay. It kept me entertained for about half an hour and sucked me in, sure, but the story itself lacked depth. The extra 0.5 stars comes from the Afterword by Miller included at the end, which details the history of Galatea's story and the ways in which she had shaped the character into a more straight-forward and feminist individual. I personally found this section of the book the most intriguing - seeing the way that Madeline Miller was able to take a sparse and misogynistic story about women and their relationship to male desire, and crafted her into a badass heroine who risks it all to grant her daughter freedom. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Suicide, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

anapthine's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

Minor: Murder