Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

51 reviews

sapphicpenguin's review against another edition

5.0

Others can analyze the actual politics and repercussions of this book, especially regarding race and how TERFs use it. But for me, as a book--five stars. You can tell Atwood is a poet on every single page--the writing is absolutely stunning. (Not for those who dislike run-on sentences, I will say.) Like many dystopias, not necessarily plausible, but that's not the point. The worldbuilding is masterful.

I think a lot of people, especially coming from the TV show, want a rebellion narrative from this book. They want an action hero. And you don't get that. You get a flawed, thoughtful, broken woman, who just exists in a horrible world. A lot is implied or mentioned or considered, but this is rarely action-packed. Whole chapters are pondering, recollecting, processing. Living through dystopia is not exciting most of the time.

And so many people dislike the main character--I would say we don't need to like her. We just have to listen.

This book also uses one of my favorite storytelling devices--fake historical framing! Everyone clap for the academic lecture analyzing the historical events in the book from the future as the epilogue!

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Torture, Excrement, Abortion, and War

The worst of it in my opinion is implied/alluded to, or told through moments/observations rather than actions. Nowhere near as traumatic as the TV show, but uncomfortable throughout. I tried to describe the things you need to know below. I'm sure I'm forgetting things--please be cautious. Sexual Violence:

Sexual assault is, of course, present throughout. The main feature of the world is women being forced into sexual slavery. There's actually only one on-page clear sexual assault. It's matter-of-fact and doesn't include active struggle/physical force--she's enslaved, and refusing/fighting would result in punishment/death. She's pretty emotionally distant during it, and finds humor in parts of it. There's another assault that's less ritual and more casually coerced (with extreme power dynamic--she definitely couldn't say no), but only the build-up to it is described, not the actual event. The MC also has (semi-coerced) sex with another man--detailed in "Infidelity." There's also a really upsetting scene where a character opens up about an assault she experienced and the rest of the women are forced to chant that it's her fault.

Suicide:

An unnamed character's past suicide by hanging is referenced and reacted to occasionally. A character we know commits suicide (off-page non-explicitly). The MC multiple times considers suicide and what method she would use. She never attempts or makes any plans.

Pregnancy/Medical:

Pregnancy is a main theme, and it's talked about throughout. Explicit childbirth scene, but not gross/gory. Traumatic, though--forced pregnancy, and mother not allowed to keep baby. It takes place in a home, so no doctor/hospital elements. There is an medical appointment scene, including a pap smear/fertility related checks. The doctor offers to have sex with the MC (while she's nude and uncomfortable), but she declines and he leaves.

Child Endangerment:

The MC often worries about her young daughter's safety and remembers being separated from her. We learn the daughter was forcibly adopted and is presumably experiencing "normal" life with that family, but we don't know specifics of her life/future. More generally, in this world, girls enter arranged marriages as young as 14.

Infidelity:

Infidelity isn't clear-cut in this book. Assault of enslaved women is required by law, and both the husband and wife at various times seem uncomfortable with this. What's legally considered infidelity is separate from people's emotional relationships. Besides being assaulted by a married couple, the MC on multiple occasions has sex with another man. Iffy situation because of power dynamics/whole situation--the first time is definitely coerced, but the others it seems that she's at least partly seeking it out, but partially as a tool to become pregnant, which she will be rewarded for. She does talk about the possibility of caring for him, though, and needing intimacy, and feels guilty because she has/had a husband--she's not sure if he's alive or where he is. There's no conclusion to this experience--we don't learn his fate or whether they meet again.

Violence/Torture/Drugs:

Violence is mentioned often, mostly by the state. Basically all characters are at constant threat of state violence. Lots of violence is referenced. The MC considers ways she could murder another character. Multiple characters, including the MC, are drugged to keep them calm. Characters are hanged not-too-graphically. One is executed by mob. Executed bodies are described hanging from a wall. Only aftermath of torture is described.

Animal Death:

The MC's husband has to kill their cat when they flee their home. This is off-page and we don't know the method.

meq_05's review against another edition

dark sad tense

• Strong character development? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Abortion

up2nogood's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Rape

lakea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

its_madi's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infertility and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death

loxeletters's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Suicide, and Grief

directorpurry's review against another edition

challenging dark tense 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Islamophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia

Minor: Animal death and War

hannah_lou's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Infertility, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death and Alcohol

vivivi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

Hooolyyyyyyyy snaps! 

As I've said a few other times before, this was rather disturbing. Sickening how twisted society became (twisted — not created from nothing, but from our current society: twisted, bent, pressed, and reformed into the Gileadean era). But I had to finish the book! I kept cheering for her and wanting to know if she escapes. 

I think my rage at the professor in the end shows just how invested I was in her story and how much of it I believed. I'm also creeped out by the professor's tone. Maybe it's just me, but it sounds like he tries to be all reasonable and aimeable while every other sentence sows distrust in her record.

I didn't expect it to end the way it did, but it definitely reads like a diary that was secretly recorded by a survivor, so I'm not too surprised. There's a lot to unpack in this book, and it's one of those that stays in your head even after you've finished it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Infertility

Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

butlere's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Animal death