Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

12 reviews

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Trafficking, Abandonment, Alcohol, Genocide, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Body shaming, Child death, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Slavery, Animal death, Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Stalking, Vomit, Violence, Xenophobia, Confinement, Death, Sexual harassment, War, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Body horror, and Colonisation

nehaanna's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.75

The retelling of female mythological characters is a delicate execution. This novel seeks to excavate the life and thoughts of one of the most ruthless women in Greek mythology, the wife of the ruthless king Agamemnon. This novel undertakes the retelling of Clytmnestra’s life from childhood to middle age as she rules in the absence of her husband during the famed Trojan War. This book is very similar to other feminist retelling of myths such as the novel Kaiyeki. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Grief, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Cursing, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Slavery, Blood, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, and Child death

Moderate: Alcohol, Incest, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexism

alice_underland's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This book made me cry so much

I already knew the story of Clytemnestra going into it and Costanza Casati was able to bring so much more depth to the main character. 

Whether you’ve read the play and read a retelling or simply wanted to read about a complex and strong women character, look no further. Casanti does an amazing job of expanding on Clytenmstra’s life and of her family.
I looked forward to what books this amazing author had to bring.

I cannot state how much I cried, I normally rip through books in a day or two, but this book I had to put down and simply let my tears escape. Even before the tragedies occurred such as Iphigenia’s death i would weep. I felt like this book was written knowing that I would know what was to come and still rip the rug from beneath my feet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Confinement, War, Animal cruelty, Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Vomit

adayania's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Vomit, War, Blood, Incest, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Slavery, Alcohol, Grief, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

fragrant_stars's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Another book I could hardly bear to put down! I loved the writing style, and I really couldn't help but root for the main character. As a lover of Greek mythology I had some idea of how this story would unfold already, and this version of events didn't disappoint. The ending was a little more open than I'd have liked, but overall satisfying.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, War, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Sexual violence, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape

Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Cursing, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping

Minor: Colonisation, Sexual content, Torture, Animal cruelty, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Suicide, Incest, Animal death, and Bullying

celery's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Domestic abuse, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Classism, Murder, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and War

missgarceau's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Slavery, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Classism, Sexism, War, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Infidelity, Mental illness, Torture, and Trafficking

ashhearddwrites's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Slavery, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Rape, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Incest, and Sexual content

indyjg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Clytemnestra was one of my most highly anticipated releases for 2023 (the other being Emily Wilson's translation of the Iliad), and oh boy, did this novel exceed my expectations (and then some!). After some slight delays, I finally finished it, and now I have to try and use my limited vocabulary to profess my love for Clytemnestra and her story. Clytemnestra has long been one of my favourite figures in Greek mythology. In classical texts, she is labelled a murderer, a cunning and vengeful woman, but she is so much more than that. Clytemnesta exists in what I love to call 'reality' or an area of moral greyness.

Casati paints her in such a unique light as a terrifying, cunning, brutal, yet powerful woman who does not forget what Agamemnon has taken from her. A mother who, at times, is not present for her surviving children. A Queen who does not hesitate to eliminate her enemies. But on the other side of the coin, her suffering evokes deep emotion that draws you in while fleshing out her motivations and desires. She is a mother grieving her child. She is a murderess <i>and</i> a widow, the Queen of Mycenae. Clytemnestra personifies vengeance, grief and tragedy. She is many things all at once. The beauty of Clytemnestra is her complexity, her duality as the morally grey Queen of Mycenae who does not forgive <i>or</i> forget. 

I also thoroughly enjoyed the first segment, which explored Clytemnestra's childhood and how Casati frames both Helen and Clytemnestra's lifepaths running parallel to each other. Both daughters of Sparta are tied to the House of Atreus, their lives stricken by tragedy and death. I wish there was more resolution for Helen and her story, as yes, this is Clytemnestra's story, but Casati establishes Helen's own story parallel to her sister's. It is clear that Helen harbours a similar rage to her sister, and it pains me that there's no payoff. She endures similar hardships as her sister, at the hands of Theseus and later Menelaus. 

The latter is 'chosen' to be her husband (or rather, an illusion of choice is given), and he becomes the King of Sparta, ruling over the polis she grew up in. The city-state that she, the daughter of King Tyndareus, has more claim to. He is distant from their daughter, Hermione, and their resentment builds. In her letter, never sent but written after a certain event involving wind, we learn of her hatred towards Paris and how the sole fault of the war settles on her shoulders, Paris seemingly unconcerned about his responsibilities. And then there is no resolution!!! (The three exclamation marks are to describe my sadness.)

Now, don't lose me here. But. I had hoped that just as Clytemnestra's complexities and dualities were explored and elaborated upon to understand her character better, I wished the same had been done for Agamemnon. Now he is by no means my favourite character in the Iliad or Odyssey, but I had hoped he would be given the same respect to flesh out his actions and motivations, his grief. Even if through Clytemnestra's perspective, but alas. In not doing so, Agamemnon has been rendered a rather one-dimensional villain when in reality, his character is just as rich and complex as Clytemnestra. And there was room to flesh out his motivations in this book and explore his moral greyness. Those are the only two things I'm a bit sad about. 

All in all, even though it took me just under a month to read (life happens), I adored this book even with despite its slight imperfections. So it gets 4.5 stars from me, rounded down to 4 for Goodreads.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child death, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Slavery, Child abuse, and Incest

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

madelinequinne's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book put me right back into my ancient greece obsession, and i’m very thankful for that, because it’s a truly intriguing subject. 

This story is incredible, filled with female rage and agony, told in such a beautiful way! I couldn’t stop reading, I just needed to not what happened next. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient greece and the queens of that time

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Child death, Cursing, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Murder, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and War