Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

98 reviews

spatterson7'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, and War

Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

baearles's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

el_wheel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Madeline Miller is nothing if not a woman who can make me sob 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury

themoodreader's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Blood, and War

Minor: Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jodean's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I will remember Achilles and Patroclus and their love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual violence, Slavery, Transphobia, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death

janchamp's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense slow-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: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

echolliot's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Classism

chrisljm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Yeah I cried. 

Madeline Miller is a beautiful writer and I did enjoy her retelling of this myth, but I didn't find it to be particularly remarkable. 

I think the thing I found most puzzling was Patroclus' inclination towards saving women from being war trophies when this was very much a sociopolitical norm during this period in time. Of course that's not to say I wanted to see more scenes of women being brutalized or that it's impossible for there to be any person during this period to disagree with such practices, but I think when making the decision to have that be one of the main characters in this myth for the purpose of having a more likable protagonist, it becomes a story that lacks the social and cultural context of the historical myths by changing certain themes to fit modern sensibilities. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Minor: Child abuse and Alcohol

mconroy9137's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Classism, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

kjm19's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

Amazing writing - vivid and evocative. 

Love the realistic portrayal of how women are perceived in this world. I love that Patroclus grows in his opinions on women and people too. Contrasted with Achilles and his views because he can only be focused on himself. 

I think maybe a bit of pacing inconsistencies at the start of the war… partly felt rushed and partly felt weeded out a bit. 

More character distinction would’ve been good, but I’m being really picky now. 

The last chapter is amazing. Many tears fell. Amazing book and fleshed out story of a classic myth. 

I feel the 1984 pull to the book now. Beautiful and I loved it. I cried a lot in my final sitting of the read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and War

Moderate: Biphobia, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Outing, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol