Reviews tagging 'Grief'

L'odyssée de Pénélope by Margaret Atwood

9 reviews

lizzym126's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Pregnancy, Rape, Grief, Abandonment, Infidelity, Blood, Death, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Murder

Moderate: War and Violence

leazzz's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Cursing, Blood, War, Trafficking, Sexism, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Rape, Torture, Sexual assault, Grief, Abandonment, Violence, and Death

meg_elyse's review against another edition

informative reflective 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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Blood, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Death, and Misogyny

Minor: War, Rape, Abandonment, Grief, Infidelity, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

jae0141's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: War, Rape, and Sexual content

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

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

pinksl0thslippers's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, and War

readerette's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I found some of the literary devices confusing, like mixing in the maids singing and performing. However, the whole concept is quite creative and compelling, and I love stories that take the viewpoints of supporting characters. It reminds me of Madeline Miller's works (Circe, Song of Achilles), but more abstract, and perhaps darker. It also leaves holes, still, in the story of Penelope and Odysseus--this is not a book of answers, but one of questioning what is "known", of offering another way of thinking about Odysseus and Penelope and her maids, or maybe even more than one way. I was never quite certain I was getting the whole truth from Penelope, or if she as a character knew the whole truth, herself. It made it difficult to put the book down!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Death, Violence, Sexism, and Slavery

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Rape

kirkspockreads's review against another edition

dark sad medium-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Misogyny, and Grief

drp_moonlight's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

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

4.0

The most important factor of this book is the style. It is written from the perspective of a Penelope already long dead. It does not shy away from stating that it is coming from a 21st century. Penelope's narrative is interspersed with the Maids' perspectives, giving the illusion of a classic play.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Animal death