Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Circe Excerpt: The First 3 Chapters by Madeline Miller

382 reviews

lilithlake's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.25

The language is beautiful, I love the protagonist Circe and all the characters were well written. 
I’m left with a lot of questions still though about the lore. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Death, Animal death, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Rape

Minor: Death, Torture, Sexism, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Misogyny, Blood, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Incest, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Content warning: In chapter 14 there is a scene where Circe gets raped, and all the men around her watch it happening, it describes her being held against her will and chocked but doesn’t describe the act of rape in detail, mainly it focuses on the aftermath.

cberri's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-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

4.25

A very character driven story and that's not a complaint at all. I've never been much of a Greek mythology fan, but I was enthralled basically all the way through.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

thursdd4y's review against another edition

adventurous informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.75

Ughhhhhhhhh - I really wanted to love this but I just couldn’t, the writing style totally disregarded the ‘show don’t tell’ mantra and the protagonist was unbearable. I don’t understand the hype. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Torture, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Death, Confinement, Sexual violence, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Animal death, and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexism and Rape

loxeletters's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

This was a fun read! Definitely very enjoyable. I read the last half in two sittings over 12 hours lol.

I feel this is a superb kind of retelling: it really captures the feeling of reading the Odyssey and Iliad while conforming, at least in the later chapters, more to our modern taste in storytelling. The beginning certainly had strong narrative resemblance to the old classics.

My main gripe with this book is that, for being marketed as a feminist retelling, it really focuses so much on men and Circe's relationship with them. There's no female friendship or relationship in this book that is given as much space or development as her relationships to her lovers, her father, Telegonus, and her brother. 

That being said, I did really enjoy exploring her complex relationship with Telegonus, and even shed a few tears there. She went through so much and still would give everything for him. That really touched something in me.

Important ideas explored here are immortality and divinity, needless cruelty, motherhood, loneliness, and death. Regardless of my complaints, this was a lovely read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual violence, War, Pregnancy, Grief, and Misogyny

marinajonesreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective sad fast-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

This was a decent book! My initial rating was 3.5 but then after discussing with my book club, I gave it a 3.75. I liked that there was more of a peeling back than I initially thought. I enjoyed the characters and the behind the scenes of some of my favorite stories, even if I wanted more of it. Solid book, would absolutely recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Confinement, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Bullying, Abandonment, Sexual assault, War, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual violence, and Blood

siennaflynn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Rape, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror

jillkaarlela's review against another edition

5.0

This was a gorgeous exploration of the character of Circe. Although it is about mythology, this is ultimately a story of a woman growing up in a space where she is not wanted or accepted, and finding her place in the world. 

I loved the immense detail and thought that was put into imagining the backstory of this character. I also loved the exploration of how monikers, like “witch”, don’t tell the whole story, and we get to see that full story unfold in this book. We get to see the complex emotions and motivations that go into someone’s actions, and how their experiences shape them. 

Overall, I loved this twist on Circe, and I will be waiting with bated breath for Madeline Miller’s next book. 

CW: there is brief on page sexual violence, so please proceed with caution

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape

spookyaz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, War, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Bullying, Gore, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing and Violence

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual content

dmteralie's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-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

4.5

It was a slowish start but it grew into a great book and I found the ending pleasantly surprising. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Murder, Sexism, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Body horror and Body shaming