Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

86 reviews

harmeeperhan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Classism, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Slavery

morganthecarrot's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Rape, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexism, Death, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Racism, Infertility, War, and Torture

lynini's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

her style of writing and the way she wrote the main character is so mundane, the way no author does anymore. i adore this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Pregnancy, Slavery, Classism, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Death, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, and Kidnapping

alexthelion260's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Violence, Infertility, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Drug use, Confinement, and Alcohol

ieotter13's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

this book has been on my TBR list for a while and it was definitely something I’m glad I read - all criticism of the book (diversity, etc) is extremely valid, but Atwood is still able to write a compelling story that in some ways seems not too far off from our current political system. i listened to this book via audiobook and given the “historical notes” at the end it actually felt more accurate to the story to read it that way. regardless, worth the read! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Infidelity, Death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Infertility, Genocide, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Racism, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pregnancy, Suicide, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Antisemitism

sav_22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Oddly, I did not feel as strongly for this as I did the show adaptation. I feel like it wasn’t as easy to connect to the story as much. Pacing was quick and it left you feeling hollow and sad; this was likely the point, but it didn’t really have any development other than world-building. this has a nihilistic perspective, which can be more impactful for the message depending on how you go into it.

the show covers this entirely in just season 1, except a few passages here and there. The show explores this concept far more deeply and gives Offred more depth and personhood. Her real name is never mentioned in the book, as the show takes many creative liberties to explore the concept more.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Blood, Body shaming, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Moderate: Abortion, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Infertility, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Self harm, Abandonment, and Ableism

theimposter's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Slavery, Torture, Murder, Sexual content, and Suicide

lynmeetsworld's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Sexism, and Kidnapping

annelisedreyer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Terrifying yet captivating. A must read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Classism, Homophobia, Rape, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Infertility, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Miscarriage, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

rachelmerrie's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

1.0

Absolutely nothing happens in the first half. The writing was dull and the purpose was drawn out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Slavery, Rape, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Kidnapping