Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller

315 reviews

kateships's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.5

I wasn’t sure if I would like this book as it’s not one I’d usually choose, but it’s excellent. It’s a bit slower in the first half, but I couldn’t put it down once I got further in. I already knew the general story of Achilles, so I knew the end was coming and it still tore my heart out. 

The final chapter is a gut punch in the best way. I absolutely recommend this book, but it will make you cry. 

I can’t speak to how true to the mythology she was as I haven’t read the Iliad (one day!), but the story is beautifully written and I like that it was told from the eyes of Patroclus, I found it interesting and it wasn’t what I expected. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, War, and Death

Moderate: Misogyny and Rape

Minor: Self harm and Pregnancy

addienoah's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

This book was a slow start but once it got Achilles introduced I was captivated. And it just kept getting better and playing out every scene in my head while reading brought them to life. This was very well written and the characters were so interesting. Even after Protroclus died, he still narrated and the ending with Thetis brought me to tears. 
I finished this in a short period of time because I am a fast reader that frequently reads. But I considered this a slow read because of how long it felt. Each page you had to pay attention and digest. The language was something you also had to adjust to. In all this was a medium read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Cultural appropriation, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Outing, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gore, Pregnancy, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Slavery, War, Confinement, Death, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Self harm, Torture, Hate crime, and Physical abuse

nutmegandpumpkin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Murder, Grief, Blood, War, Injury/injury detail, and Death

Moderate: Sexual content and Medical content

Minor: Pregnancy, Sexism, Slavery, Classism, Rape, Child death, Animal death, Homophobia, Cursing, Misogyny, and Self harm

gabriella_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful sad tense 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

4.5

Spoiler

“I thought, This is what Achilles will feel like when he is old. And then I remembered: he will never be old.”

I have never read a love story convey so much closeness. Even the physical gap between their bodies must have been too much distance for them to bear.

The prose reads like poetry. The story was incredibly satisfying and kept my interest. I got teary-eyed a few times. This is a story where two characters dare to love in a world where marrying for love is an outlier.

Spoiler

Odysseus was the only other person who was truly in love in this book?

I am at a loss for words for how beautiful this story was. It has renewed my interest in Greek Mythos, which is a tough task.

Spoiler

“Patroclus, I have given enough to them. I will not give them this.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Alcohol, Animal death, Pregnancy, Murder, Child death, Medical content, Torture, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Death, Grief, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, War, Blood, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Outing, and Violence

grimlogan's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I wanted to enjoy this book, genuinely. And for the most part I did, and with understanding that this is a retelling of a story that has been retold many times over. The writing is excellent and the characters feel whole. I just don’t think the story, to me, lives up the the hype it’s been given in book circles (mainly booktok.)
That being said, it’s worth the read if you’re already interested. I don’t think I’d re-read or recommend it to anyone who hadn’t already expressed interest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, and Misogyny

Minor: Rape and Slavery

tomasalbanez's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

4.75

I love the way the relationship with gods is represented, with them being clearly real but still mysterious, distant and covered by myths. The love story is tragic (a Greek Tragedy™) but really good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Child death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Grief, and Blood

Moderate: Bullying and War

Minor: Slavery, Ableism, Pregnancy, and Sexism

imnotarke's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

i adored this story told from the perspective of patroclus. it made me sob and reflect on the internal war queer people must combat when surrounded by pressuring expectations. i felt that the war dragged a bit, but regardless the build up to tragedy and justice was well-earned. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Sexual violence, and Child death

Moderate: Slavery and Misogyny

Minor: Homophobia

thebookpaiges's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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: Homophobia, Violence, Sexual content, and War

Moderate: Kidnapping, Rape, Medical content, and Misogyny

pixie_dust's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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? No

5.0

If you cry easily, bring a box of tissues with this book. Madeline Miller does not hold back with her poetic writing and gut-wrenching imagery. There are times when you want to cringe,

Spoiler

especially during bloody fights, medical scenes, the plague, and almost anything related to a woman character.

But when judging the book as a romance, there is no doubt that Miller did a good job portraying the highs and lows of Achilles and Patroclus' relationship. Amazing story, through and through.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, War, and Rape

Moderate: Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Abandonment and Adult/minor relationship

pitedavid's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

Extremly good book. Even while knowing the myth, i could still get immersed within the story and feel it in my heart. I had alot of emotions and avsolutely loved the book. It is a classic greek myth involving

Spoiler

gods, hubris, known figures, tragedy and prophesies

while still feeling modern and fresh. I liked that you can start reading without knowing the myths or characters and still enjoy it because of the amazing and natural explainations

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, War, Murder, Violence, Death, Medical content, Grief, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Slavery, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Homophobia, Outing, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Sexism, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Self harm, Child death, Misogyny, and Classism