Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Circe Excerpt: The First 3 Chapters by Madeline Miller

125 reviews

vaniavela's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

4.25

Greek mythology is not exactly my cup of tea and it makes little sense to me with all those names and gods and goddesses and I get confused easily. She is a woman who has pulled off terrible things, but is still human. She's lonely and tough, and hides in sarcasm oftentimes. As a retelling, Circe deserves between 4 and 5 stars for being written with a lovely prose. However, there could have been improvements. I would have liked to have seen the handmaids on her island play a larger role. I found the concept of an island inhabited by women who have been exiled by the gods interesting, but it was not tapped into enough. The author was afraid of success. Overall it was a good book, but I didn't feel the same excitement that everyone was telling me about it with. 

Trigger/Content Warnings: Violence, gore, murder, torture, physical abuse, child abuse, thoughts of suicide, brief scene with cutting, graphic childbirth scenes, mention of bestiality, mention of incest, animal sacrifice, death of a sibling, death of a child, death of a loved one, death of an animal, rape, adultery, and war themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, Torture, Physical abuse, War, and Gore

Moderate: Animal death and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Incest

folded_between_pages_of_books's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Torture, War, Animal death, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual content, Alcohol, Confinement, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Grief

flightyreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

5.0

I was originally drawn to this book as I loved Miller’s previous work, Song of Achilles. I had been told by many that Circe was even better. Having read both now, I’d disagree with that statement. I do not believe either was better than the other, because, while both being of Greek mythos origin, SoA is a tragic romance at its heart while Circe is a feminist movement. Circe has an almost Cinderella-like transformation over the book, going from the lowest of godlike characters to even lower yet somehow more revered. Over the course of the book, Circe interacts with many notable Greek myths, such as The Minotaur, Odysseus, and more, yet this time Circe, the most minor of characters, is the main character. I would recommend this book to anyone struggling to feel like they fit in yet unashamed of who they want to be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Sexual assault

thedandybrambler's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Abandonment

helenehoha's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

welcometoellasbookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious 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

4.0

I was in a reading slump before I started Circe thinking reading it would bring me out and it did. I really enjoyed this book and I loved how it had imagery and I could really picture who looked like what and what everything looked like. Normally I’m having to put a poor description of who’s who but with this book I had a great description of everyone and everything. I loved everything about this book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual harassment, Violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Body horror, Death of parent, Rape, and Sexual assault

molly_rose's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Suicide

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and War

jay_da_bookworm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Pregnancy

shaapurin's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Incest, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

mim72's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Torture, Pregnancy, and Bullying

Moderate: Rape, Body horror, Death, and Physical abuse

Minor: War and Animal death