Reviews tagging 'War'

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

232 reviews

averi's review against another edition

4.25

tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: N/A

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, War

phantomgecko's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Hoo boy, Clytemnestra's whole story is so frustrating. Like, her story was written a few thousand years ago, and the novel follows the important plot points. It's an exasperating experience to read a story where you know what's going to happen next not because it's predictable but because you've already heard the story before. But the novel has nuance and emotion and motivation and feeling not included in the original myth.

Throughout the whole, Clytemnestra scoffs at prophecy and gods and asserts her will. But...as the reader...you know, you already know, what's going to happen... idk, I can't really capture what I'm trying to say. There's the dramatic irony of it all in a sort of meta way.

Anyway, anyone who says Clytemnestra was a "bad wife" or "wicked queen" can fight me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, War, Classism

kingsteph's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, War

heatherjchin's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism

rustmaiden's review against another edition

4.0

dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Torture, Vomit, War

moonytoast's review

4.5

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War

chloebrown13's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Kidnapping, Murder

Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, War

Minor: Xenophobia, Suicide attempt

I cannot stress enough how amazing this book was, I wish I could give 100 stars. This was a genuinely life changing read about one of the most misunderstood legends from Greek mythology. If you like stories centered around female rage this one’s for you. I cannot wait to reread it immediately!

raptorq's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Incest

mcluster1's review against another edition

5.0

dark reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This was an excellent retelling of a story you are incredibly familiar with, but from a POV that you don’t often hear. I also like that this was an examination of the women of the Iliad, their strength, courage, resiliency, and sorrow. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, War

amanda_marie's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I love a complicated female lead, who is imperfect in her strength. This book is one where you cannot root for anyone entirely, but find yourself doing so anyway, for as bad as some may be there are always those who are worse. It also made Greek mythology more accessible to someone who snoozed through the odyssey in high school. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Death of parent, Murder, War