Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

9 reviews

kjm19's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective 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? No

3.5

The ending was so good. 

Parts of it felt too conversational and contemporary for my liking - but I appreciate this was intentional. 

Loved the elements of poetry and stage play writing, it was very impactful in telling different sides of the story. And I enjoyed that Penelope’s prose was diaristic mainly and set in the present. 

The last few chapters were very good and I managed to finish them in one sitting after spending a while reading the initial 65% of the book. The whole 12 maids imagery analysis - chefs kiss - and then their never-ending revenge on him in future lives. 

‘We’re no more real than money’
‘Pretty maids, all in a row’

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

sburchart's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Body shaming and Abandonment

risemini's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, and War

kitt_the_dragon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Gore, Rape, and Slavery

sarahsbooklife's review against another edition

dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, and Gaslighting

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

4.0

I love a good myth retelling, especially when a voice is given to a woman who has been denied a voice. Margaret Atwood has always been good at giving voices to just such women. This was an emotional read. My heart goes out to Penelope. It's so easy to forget she suffered at home, alone, when you read about Odysseus traveling the world and having adventures. It's unfair to her, and this book reminds you of that and makes you feel what she felt. My only wish is that she had gotten a happy ending after all she went through.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Gore, Incest, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

azalia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and War

smallcasualbooktok's review against another edition

dark funny reflective 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

4.25

really really good. i loved the chapters from the maids. i love an unreliable narrator and this definitely had that in spades. atwood writes unlikeable female protagonists so well (the edible woman, alias grace, etc). and i loved how it illustrated even though penelope spent her whole life playing the perfect, modest wife, whether she was or wasn’t, that will not save you when you’re at the whims of men and the patriarchy. In her relationship with Helen, who by all means was not the dutiful wife or woman, the reader can see penelope’s internalized misogyny and anger that a woman so clearly not living by the rules could be in the same if not better position as she. not to say atwood’s helen is perfect either. would recommend for anyone who’s an atwood fan or looking to get into her works. triumphant final chapter. the themes prominent in atwood’s writing are as usual present here. i loved this short story 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore and Sexual violence

sofipitch's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

I'd been looking forward to reading this book for so long I was disappointed by how short it was, I read it in a day, practically one sitting. I expected the epic that Song of Achilles or Helen of Troy had been and was let down. Especially considering how hard it was to actually get a copy of this book at a reasonable price. Otherwise I enjoyed it. I liked the choice to focus on the maids and their murder. I also like that the story doesn't stick only to one version of Penelope, the maids tell the story not of the faithful wife but of the cheating one. Which considering her cleverness and lying in the Odyssey would not be surprising. I think I might have enjoyed that character more. I also dislike the way Helen was portrayed, I think if you can see the feminist retelling that the maids were raped and used by the men it's easy to see how the same could be said of Helen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Gore