Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

18 reviews

thetatteredowl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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

Absolutely blindsided me. The fictional account of an aging heiress as she recounts the events that led her sister to commit suicide shortly after the end of WW2. Dark and cruel, compelling and profoundly affecting. Enjoyed this so much more than The Handmaid's Tale - Atwood remains at her best with her piercing observations of misogyny, yet within a 20th century context, her knife-twisting is even more delicious

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny

Moderate: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Domestic abuse, War, and Child abuse

danibee's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-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

Definitely a slow-paced read. But so worth it!! The interwoven plots were a bit difficult to follow at first, but I started setting aside larger chunks of time to read, and that helped me follow more closely. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Child abuse

Minor: Rape

yooniereads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

4.25

This book leaves a pit in your stomach in the best possible way. Atwood proved herself to be a chameleon in storytelling; the seamless shifting between mediums, the distinct voices, and the individuality of the characters- all of these made the story so visceral. I loved Iris because she was so flawed, and the conflicts she endured was so palpable. 

It takes a lot for me to feel the emotions an author intends with their work (part of the reason why I didn't cry over A Little Life), but the sense of languishing, regret, nostalgia, and exhaustion felt quite real in this one. The only reason I won't be giving it five stars is because it dragged on for quite a bit. But other than that, it's the kind of novel I'll be thinking about for some time.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Suicide

Moderate: Gaslighting, War, Violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Rape

laurenw's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

4.5

---

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

katietmcn's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Suicide

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.

---

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

alannah_m's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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? Yes

4.0

This was a fascinating book that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. Again, it is FAR too long, and suffers from a complete disinterest in pacing, but I could analyse this for hours and constantly find something new to say. Weirdly enough, my favourite sections were the fake parts of the sci-fi book 'The Blind Assassin'...maybe I just want Atwood to write pulp sci-fi book! I can dream...

Pet Theory for this Book: Alex isn't real


Also, does anyone else see the similarities to Rebecca? Just a theory I'm working on...

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

alaskaisback's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Grief