Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Gerald's Game by Stephen King

23 reviews

goldenluck's review

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challenging dark tense 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? It's complicated

3.0

How I described this to my partner immediately after finishing: it was fine. Jessie is not the worst "woman written by a man" I've ever read, but far from the best. The tension, gore, and horror were compelling and well written. The build up, reveal, and aftermath of her childhood trauma was, for the most part, well done. 

In my opinion, this should have been a short story. Cut out the moonlight man, make the dog the big bad, when she escapes have her realize she and the dog are both victims of man trying to survive and come to peace with that. Or, if you want to include the monster, make him 1) a violator of women not men and 2) LET HER KILL HIM. 

The symbology of Jessie's trauma in regards to sexual assault and misogyny was mostly well done up until the monster and all it's fall out, then it completely fell apart. If he had been able to carry it through, it would have been much better and a much more satisfying albeit dark climax. I just get the feeling that King chickened out in the end, which is so disappointing. 

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kingkoala's review against another edition

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I don’t like how King organized the first chapter. Maybe his writing is different throughout the book, but I doubt it. He will pause mid conversation to do a flash back to a different conversation. It draws me out of the flow of the scene and he will also over describes the scenes like there was nearly two pages worth of description of the husbands smile. Then the smile would change and he would do it again. 
The biggest reason I dropped the book was a lot of it feels misogynistic. I don’t mean the setting but the actual lines give off a very negative vibe towards women, and it makes it hard to reads. One example of such line is “yessir, boys, hyuck, hyuck, hyuck, you ain’t really had pussy until you’ve had pussy that’s jumpin around underneath you like a hen on a hot griddle”. And that isn’t a line given by a character, it was said by the narrator, whom I’m led to believe is King. Before then there were other lines that gave me a bad vibe but that was really hard to read. 

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schmendez's review against another edition

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4.0

**WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS**


I really enjoyed the storyline of Jessie as an adult! BUT!!!!!! Hated the storyline of young Jessie. I won’t be rereading this book. I typically avoid books with child abuse/SA, but this had an extra layer of disgusting because it was written by a male author who CLEARLY doesn’t understand what this experience could be like for a young girl. The inner monologue of the young girl is sooooo inaccurate and gross!!!!!!!

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beamae's review

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challenging dark mysterious tense 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? No

3.5


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adutcher's review

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dark emotional sad tense 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

Wow. I love King & I love horror and I love this book but god it was uncomfortable to read. I really had breathe deeply through quite a few parts of this book if not close it and walk around for a bit to manage.

I normally don't love women written by men but I'll give credit, King really did a wonderful job in this book. Jessie & the many variations of voices she hears throughout this book was so interesting and for a book with primarily one location setting it is absolutely fascinating.

I really truly love this book so much, I don't know if I'll ever be able to read it again but I LOVE it.

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madamegeneva's review

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

3.5

I always enjoy SK books on the whole, however I hate the way King’s misogyny seems to slips out when it comes to his female characters. For example, the what’s a woman?” “a life support system for a cunt” bit. I know it’s a deliberate choice for the writing style/context, but this aggressively misogynistic shit gets exhausting to me after a while. It was still a thrilling read though. 

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axylbird's review

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dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

3.75


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matxoni's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

4.0

potser ben mirat seria més aviat un 3,5 si he de valorar l'història en net però m'ha sorprès tant que no puc posar-li menys que això. buscava un llibre que em fes passar por i n'he passat, però el que més m'ha impressionat és el relat que fa d'aquesta por; la forma en què t'acompanya l'angoixa, la tensió i la desesperació pero també l'alleujament i la tranquil·litat final. tot això comptant que l'argument durant bona part de la novel·la es basa en el fet que la protagonista es troba lligada a un llit. aquest senyor sap el que fa.

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theimposter's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

This book is a beautiful and traumatizing expression of trauma (sexual trauma specifically) and of the mind’s internal family system which Stephen King writes so accurately and in such a personifying way. It was also the most triggering book I’ve ever read and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who is triggered by sexual abuse/rape or anyone who doesn’t want to read gore and body horror. 

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kreglow's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense 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

3.25


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