Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

107 reviews

zazzisara's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

florenceassetto's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

i LOVE the handmaid's tale! most definitely did myself a disservice in taking so long to get through it but the honest and rawness of the sentiments that offred echoes are so captivating for a reader and i cannot help but hurt for her in her suffering. i think handmaid's is so painfully relevant to the modern reader, just as it was when it first came out in the 1980s, and it speaks so truly to societal attitudes to what it means to be a woman, love, sex and sexuality, patriarchy and so much more. i would always recommend this book 100%, one of my favourite dystopias out there and truly a classic

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Infertility, Misogyny, Trafficking, Death, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Infidelity

Moderate: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Confinement, Violence, Miscarriage, Torture, Sexual content, Rape, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Antisemitism

eryncaroline's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I started watching the TV show as the seasons have been coming out and I had never read the book, which I knew I needed to correct. I love and appreciate this show and was so excited to finally read the book. It was a surprise to me that "June" in the book is nameless, and that hits much harder than I expected. I was also shocked that this only covers the first season of the show, but what a fantastic story. The storytelling and the perspective of the book really envelop you. I felt closer to the characters because of the show and genuinely felt myself wishing this book was much longer. The ending really surprised me, and I read that final chapter with my mouth wide open. Fantastic storytelling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Infertility, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Miscarriage

bri_likestoread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I'm glad I watched the series first. I think it helped me follow the story better since I already had a visual. The writing style was confusing or the story was just hard to follow, and maybe it was supposed to be that way due to the trauma in the main characters life. I still enjoyed it and would definitely like to read the 2nd book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Rape, Infertility, Self harm, and Sexual assault

lhorner06's review against another edition

dark inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.75

I didn't much like the ending seemed a little rushed and not quite to quality of the rest of the book, though I'm hoping that The Testaments will clear that up. Easy to read and very enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infertility, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Murder, Police brutality, Sexism, Misogyny, Genocide, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

capybara5's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Self harm

kileyjojo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

Everything great has already been said about this book. It’s intriguing and horrific at times. The dystopian future is eerie and the fact that so much of this novel had been based on real events speaks volumes. It can be a hard read at times but it had a very powerful message.

The pacing does struggle every now and then and the ending feels abrupt. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Slavery, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Violence

deblambert's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

A cautious speculative tale of an alarming future that is possible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Kidnapping, Death, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexism, Rape, Trafficking, Torture, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: War and Homophobia

samshort's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Great book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Child death, Murder, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Infertility, Medical trauma, Body horror, Animal death, Grief, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Confinement, Kidnapping, Antisemitism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Slavery, Rape, Alcohol, Sexism, Sexual violence, Blood, Death, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, War, and Trafficking

kayjezza's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Murder, Death, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, and Confinement

The story is sort of based around the concept of sort of mandatory sex with a random person assigned to you. And that person is treated like Harry Potter in his broom cupboard, except they go to school for child bearing not magic and aren’t allowed to have friends.