puntifexmaximus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Moderate: Death, Incest, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Body horror, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Suicide, and Rape
Read in Latin and English translationsunflowerwork's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Incest, Grief, Violence, Suicide, Murder, Kidnapping, Death, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Sexual violence, and Misogyny
written_word_warrior's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Sexual assault
theweepingwillow_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was both my first book of 2023 and my first 'ancient text'. I was quite worried about this being hard to comprehend as it's very long and very old, but for the most part it was extremely accessible and fun to read. I devoured this epic poem.
Ovid really was ahead of his time with this piece, especially with the humour. The translator also did a great job of making it accessible and comprehensive to English-speakers.
The theme of change was very interesting to explore, and the theme is persistent throughout the poem. Metamorphosis was used as a tool for freedom and for punishment within the stories. To save a woman from assault, she would be turned into a bird, and to punish the assaulter, he would also be turned into a bird. This was very strange and an interesting contrast.
Some of my favourite stories include; Narcissus and Echo, Orpheus and Eurydice + Orpheus' Songs (Pygmalion, Hyacinthus, Venus and Adonis), Daedalus and Icarus, Daphne, Salmacis and Hermaphroditus and Iphis. The poem is separated into 15 books, and my favourites were the middle ones from 3-10.
There was a lot of s-xual assu-lt in this book, so beware that most of the stories do include it in one way or another. Some of the stories were extremely disturbing an gruesome, for example 'Tereus, Procne and Philomena'.
There was also a lot of queer subtext in this poem, which I loved.
In short, make this the one 'epic poem' you ever read.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide and War
kingcrookback's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Spoiler
Ovid hates Ulysses so much, it's genuinely kind of hilarious.Graphic: Rape, Murder, Incest, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Body horror, War, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Animal death
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, and Drug use
strabbyfieldz's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Murder, Body horror, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Animal cruelty, Death, and Animal death
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Pedophilia and Alcohol
josefineisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Suicide, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, and Miscarriage
Minor: Cannibalism
ambdocksey22's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, War, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexism, Self harm, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Infertility, Incest, Homophobia, Gore, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Colonisation, Child death, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, and Abandonment
13octopus's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Incest, Rape, War, Violence, Transphobia, Torture, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Gore, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Child death, Cannibalism, Body horror, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Mental illness, Homophobia, Genocide, Drug use, Dementia, Colonisation, and Confinement
ani_rose's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Rape and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment