Reviews with content warning for Cursing - The Silence of the Girls

Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

34 reviews

glutenfreemaggie's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

The title of the book is contradictory in that only the first part of the book is from Briseis’ perspective. The second and third parts rotate between Achilles’ POV, Briseis’ POV and like a third person narrator? Idk it took away from the story a little bit for me because it was literally a silencing of the girls. Not sure if that was intentional. I understand why we got heavily into Achilles’ perspective once Patroclus died, but the story was supposed to be about Briseis’ experience so the story lost its structure.

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kirareads02's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

This book was a masterpiece. It was close to a five star if it wasn't for that secondary voice that has no name. That has just bothered me. <Spoiler> In my mind it is the voice of the Gods <Spoiler>. This is beautifully told by the women of the story and is a completely new view on a war story. It was heartbreaking and beautiful. It deals with all the complexity complexity womanhood, female friendships, bodily autonomy and consequences of war. I love how the narrator kept saying it wasn't her story she was just a part of it because this is a prominent issue of women always being a passive character in the story of a man and this is the only story I have ever found that acknowledges this.

I could write so much about this book and perhaps I will come back to this review and add more when I think of it. I am very excited to read the second book. I can't think where it would be picked up so I can't wait.

<Spoiler> Also, was there a little shade thrown on that last page about making this story a love story? <Spoiler>

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ellida's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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? It's complicated

2.25

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lynnrahm's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

5.0

Another Greek mythology retelling because my Percy Jackson phase is still ongoing.

I’ve read a few negative reviews for this one and with a heavy heart I tell you they don’t speak nonsense. This book has its faults. It’s called The Silence of The Girls but Achilles and my sweet boy Pat outshine them all. Like come on! We love Pat and the bloodthirsty gay moron but WHERE IS THE CONTENT WE WERE PROMISED? WHERE ACTUALLY ARE THE GIRLS? Being raped? Being sacrificed? Being tortured to death? Hmm.

We were robbed of the things we actually wanted to read.

But I’m giving it a five star review. Nope nope I’m still the sanest person alive. And this book deserves a five star. I loved how the author succeeded in portraying the war and the lives of the soldiers. I loved that it had Achilles’ pov and loved the way he navigated around Patroclus and dealt with his grief. Come to think of it this book had more of Achilles than it had of Briseis (AND IT IS A BOOK TOLD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BRIS) But as I said—Achilles’ mommy issues (no cap) and his tenderness for his father leading him to be gentle with Priam and him caring for his myrmidons—truly splendid.

And thus it was worth my time.

PS: Ik I right the worst kind of reviews.

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