Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

160 reviews

genevieve_eggleston's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I adore this book sooooo much! It’s a great story (especially for fans of classic Greek mythology) and it never fails to tug on my heartstrings (I may or may not have cried uncontrollably the first time I read it). Highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and War

Moderate: Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Grief, Misogyny, and Murder

elee353's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Physical abuse, and Homophobia

friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Self harm, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Death, Body horror, Blood, Medical trauma, Child death, Sexual content, Medical content, Physical abuse, Grief, and War

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

bookishperseus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Classism, Physical abuse, Slavery, War, Cursing, Deportation, Genocide, Gore, Sexual harassment, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Grief, Xenophobia, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual content

chelle22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Torture, Animal cruelty, Cultural appropriation, Child abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Sexual assault, Animal death, Death, Cursing, Grief, Incest, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Slavery, War, and Self harm

luwa963's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Slavery, Pregnancy, Grief, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Animal death, War, Bullying, Blood, Abandonment, Medical content, Self harm, Alcohol, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation, and Death

kathrynleereads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

2.75

I’m not going to lie… this book was a chore for me. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was that I didn’t like, but every time I put it down, I felt absolutely no desire to pick it back up again. 

Song of Achilles is one I had such high hopes for after hearing so many amazing things about it, but I just didn’t feel drawn into the story. 

With every multi-year time jump, I felt as if I had whiplash. If I’m adding correctly the book spanned a total of 18 years (ages 9 to 27 for Patroclus), which was just too wide a time frame. 

Because of the time jumps, Achilles’ character development felt spotty and incomplete. Patroclus, on the other hand, seemed to go through all of his character growth within the final few chapters, which was just as jarring. 

Speaking of the final few chapters…

I’ll admit, I did shed quite a few tears at the end of the book, but that’s only because of the characters’ reactions to everything that unfolded. 

I didn’t even fully follow what happened to Patroclus until Menelaus carried him back into camp, at which point I went back and reread the prior chapter. 

One second Patroclus was in the chariot, and the next he was at the wall of Troy, being surrounded by the Trojan army. 

I understand that Miller was demonstrating the draw of power in the scene, but it was so out of character for Patroclus that it took me right out of the story.

The only aspect of this book I have no complaints about is Briseis. Her character helped demonstrate the severity of war atrocities, while also helping mark time.

Briseis’ friendship with Patroclus was the only thing that kept me reading this book. 

She was so kind and understanding, even after the horrors that she had gone through (and was yet to go through) because of the war. 

All in all, I think this book was just not for me. Reading other reviews for The Song of Achilles, I recognize all the aspects that are being applauded, I just think Miller’s writing style was not for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Murder, Sexual violence, Blood, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Body horror, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and War

Moderate: Torture, Child death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death and Bullying

komiification's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad slow-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? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Medical content, Blood, Kidnapping, Death, Murder, Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Child death

gabbylandis's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I could never write an articulate enough review for this book. Simply put, it was so beautiful. Touched my heart in a way no other book has. Madeline Miller is a poet of the modern age. The intention with which this was crafted is so apparent. Perfect for anyone who loves ancient history, especially history done right.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Murder and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual content and Rape

angeldevoursliterature's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Medical content, Bullying, Slavery, Misogyny, Murder, Animal death, Gore, War, Torture, Sexual violence, Grief, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Physical abuse, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Cursing