Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

10 reviews

cerys_ah's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Rape

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Pregnancy, and Panic attacks/disorders

lk3ssaf's review

3.25

The book was short and easy to read. It was sad, and depressing at times, but the author chose a hopeful ending.

Spoiler

We never learn what happens to the women, or how the men at the cult react, and that might be for the best.

I didn't learn that the story was based on real crimes that took place against Mennonite women until after I had read the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicide, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Death of parent

cait's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Dementia, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism

madelinequinne's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, and Child abuse

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Suicidal thoughts

sydapel's review

challenging dark 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? No

3.5

 For me, this is an issue of form rather than subject matter. Perhaps because I was reading this knowing it would become a movie, but I struggled heavily with how limited this feels textually, particularly as it's through a male perspective. Which I know is part of the point, and I would have fun arguing about that in an English classroom. 

If you're looking for an really profound philosophical debate about faith, forgiveness, guilt, anger and difficult choices that women living in deeply patriarchal societies face, this excels. It's hard to digest, especially knowing it's based on reality, so please do check trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Miscarriage

Minor: Excrement and Blood

kimveach's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This is a weird little book.  It really is about women talking during a two-day meeting.  I found it strangely compelling, though.  I can't decide if I want to see the movie or not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Violence, Child abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Rape, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Grief, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Self harm

lisesenb's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Confinement, Alcohol, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Self harm, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Grief, Dementia, Deadnaming, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Incest, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Violence, Child abuse, Cursing, and Sexual content

kateleos's review

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

Basically a one-day read, after seeing the movie last weekend. There were things I thought the movie did better - I didn't need the Koop boys and am glad Sarah Polley excised them - but I loved learning more about August. I don't think I needed his inner life in the film (and I'm grateful for Autje's voiceover), but I'm glad I got it this way. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Grief, Incest, Pregnancy, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

The content warnings seem very intense, but the violence is shared sparingly and without detail.

vixenreader's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A text that that gives a humanizing insight on a community that is not as closely examined as it should be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Transphobia

Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Alcoholism

There is a lot of information about Mennonite culture and the story adhering to the assault of the women such community. Please read at your own discretion.

liblibby's review

emotional 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt