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patsypoo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
What will they make of us, the people of those unimaginably distant times? One thing I do know: they won’t want the brutal reality of conquest and slavery. They won’t want to be told about the massacres of men and boys, the enslavement of women and girls. They won’t want to know we were living in a rape camp. No, they’ll go for something altogether softer. A love story, perhaps? I just hope they manage to work out who the lovers were.
Really enjoyed this one! I love The Song of Achilles and it's nice to see another angle of it through Briseis' eyes. It's a very tough one to get through at times unsurprisingly. It's a war story after all so all the content warnings!
On one hand, I wish there had been less of Achilles here and on the other hand I feel his perspective is also needed to round out this particular story.
One drawback for me was the dialogue. It's very laddish and modern Britain to my taste and although I got used to it, it is kind of jarring on occasion and it took me out of the story somewhat.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, and War
theothergrl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
And, of course considering everything else, this book is a wonderful example of how we can tell stories with even the extremes of sexual violence, and tell them well without gratuitousness nor overly graphic. I did not once feel that there was no need for a particular sex/rape scene, when they were there, it added to the story.
The 3 main characters in this book are loveable (and 2 very much despiseable) in a very complicated and heart wrenching way. But you'll definately enjoy spending time with them and hearing their story, I would 100% recommend this book.
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Alcohol, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death, Infertility, Vomit, and Pregnancy
indigoimpulse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
however the book promised me a story from briseis’ pov so i didn’t really appreciate so much of the book being taken up by achilles’ pov - this author writes grief excellently so his sections were great but it kind of took away from the fact that this was supposed to be briseis’ story . i don’t really think you can call this a feminist novel but i enjoyed it nonetheless
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
farah24's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Murder, and War
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
esterohman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Vomit
babblingbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture and Death of parent
opinkb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and War
gondorgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal death
corganick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Child death
filipapintovieira'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, and War