Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Circe Excerpt: The First 3 Chapters by Madeline Miller

126 reviews

gabriella_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

4.5

I read most of this book on a round trip train ride and someone’s front lawn. My god this book was gripping. I preferred The Song of Achilles for the romantic overtures but I think Madeline Miller really comes into her own as an author writing prose in this piece. The depth of the way she characterizes has compounded exponentially in this book. It’s such a refreshing spin on Greek mythos that I couldn’t put the book down.

This book made me laugh and cry within mere lines. I love the way Madeline Miller writes structures of misogyny without relegating women to damsels, and while writing all her characters as multidimensional with their own agendas. She captures the essence of Greek mythos without letting it choke out her own artistic vision.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Rape, Child death, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Cannibalism, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Sexism, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, Violence, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Medical trauma, Medical content, Misogyny, Incest, Sexual harassment, War, Child abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

hannahbevil's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, War, Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Abandonment

issyd23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Welcome to Αἰαία, see the pigs transform from humans. Welcome to Αἰαία, hope you like Circe you ain’t leaving. Caroline Polachek would love it here 4🏝️

I love how intricate names in Greek mythology are: Helios, Pasiphaë, Minos, Aeëtes & then there’s literally Jason!💀

NB Fuck, marry, kill: Odysseus, Achilles, Paris (in that order) 🏛️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gore, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Torture, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, and War

malinxzoe's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse

74laura74's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

stvalentine's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring reflective fast-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

a total masterwork of introspection and the importance of balancing self-reliance and community!! follows ancient greece's favourite witch-goddess as she navigates godly narcissism, isolation, love, trauma, and motherhood armed with endless spells and crackling determination. a closer examination of one of the most mysterious and under-discussed figured in mythology. so good!!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Animal death, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Misogyny, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Gore, and Incest

madibowyer's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Rape

abookwormspov's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Child death, Physical abuse, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Rape, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Confinement, Blood, and Animal death

ellaford's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

As someone with a limited knowledge of Greek mythology I think it is a different experience to read this book, but not necessarily a worse one. The twists and turn were all the more intriguing and exciting. I listened to this book and the narrator did such a fantastic job of bringing circe alive as she had such a majestic way of reading. I enjoyed it more as it went on for certain and by the end was completely captivated by the world. I loved how nature and animals are described, and the complicated nature of good and bad. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Confinement, and Abandonment

Moderate: Incest, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Body horror, and Animal death

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

marissasa's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Circe's journey of finding herself and learning to live for herself after centuries growing up abused, neglected, and forgotten was touching and told beautifully. I loved the feminist reframing of this character in Greek mythology and the way she was turned into a protagonist with her own agency and reasoning behind actions that were previously only known as plot devices in the tales of male heroes like Odysseus. Circe wasn't a huge name among the gods, being a minor goddess herself as one of many children of a Titan and a nymph. This made her situation all the more interesting as she had to use her wit and develop her witch abilities to overcome obstacles, as opposed to being able to set things on fire or turn people to stone with one look as some of the major gods could. Throughout the book you really feel for her and come to root for her, wanting her to find meaningful connections and a way to be truly happy despite her trauma and eternal punishment. She is fierce, determined, kindhearted, honest, and loving, and I loved Miller's beautiful writing style and masterful skill in conveying this lovely character's story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, War, Alcohol, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism