The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
shan_lou'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
4.0
Moderate: Murder, Misogyny, Miscarriage, War, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Grief, Death, Rape, Suicide, Sexual violence, Child death, Violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
gabydoesgrowth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Classism, Death, Genocide, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Grief, and Infidelity
hayleemarie's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, and War
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Suicide
abhss's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Pregnancy, Infidelity, War, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent and Rape
nevdite284'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Murder, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, War, Pedophilia, Misogyny, and Abortion
Moderate: Misogyny, Miscarriage, Medical content, and Kidnapping
withlivjones's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
My one gripe with this book is that the pacing is rather inconsistent. The start is somewhat slow, and I am grateful for the time skips to ensure that the narrative doesnât get boring. However, Helenâs âabductionâ occurs over halfway through the book and the actual war doesnât start until three quarters of the way through. From there, the pacing is almost breakneck as the author attempts to fit the nine-year Trojan war, as well as its aftermath, into under one hundred pages. I appreciate that retellings of the Trojan War, especially the events covered in the Iliad, have been done to death in other adaptations, but I feel that Helenâs perspective of more parts of the war, or even Klytemnestraâs reception of the news of certain events, could have enhanced the story. I was half expecting Kalchas to somehow make a return, either during the plague (which isnât mentioned) or when the Trojan Horse arrives (which is alluded to in a single sentence), since he plays a significant role in the first half of the novel and then completely disappears after Iphigeniaâs death. The book barely touches on the events of the Iliad and the Agamemnon and doesnât even cover the Libation Bearers (leaving both Klytemnestraâs and Elektraâs arcs feeling somewhat unfinished), and I think that the author really could have taken advantage of the opportunity to discuss the motivations of Helen and Klytemnestra in these stories where their actions are so significant.Â
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, War, Genocide, and Grief
Period-typical attitudes towards womenlanid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Minor: Pregnancy, Slavery, Child death, Death, War, Abortion, Animal death, Blood, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence
mothman19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Violence, War, and Blood
Moderate: Pedophilia, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Rape, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Abortion, Abandonment, Body shaming, Medical trauma, and Infertility
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
still, i thought the characters were pretty... vanilla? like especially the men. you hear stories about the men's rage and bitterness, about the sexism and misogyny, but the men in this book were kind of ... alright i guess?
they were abusive sometimes and assholes of course, but when it came down to it, all they did was scream, mostly. and menelaos was like a puppy idk
i also thought the book was too slow and long in the wrong places. helen's and klytemnestra's childhoods were interesting, but you could keep it shorter. for the first half of the book not a lot really happened. i had wished for more infos and stories beyond the trojan war, explore the lives after, but it just cut off there, after the war had ended.
really addictive writing tho, would still definitely recommend. an informative, lyrical gemâwith flaws:)
Graphic: Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death, Misogyny, Slavery, Grief, Murder, War, and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Medical trauma, and Rape
Minor: Death of parent, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
abfabulous17's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child death, Infertility, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Death of parent, War, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Suicide, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Slavery