Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

483 reviews

_rowantree_'s review

dark emotional 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

3.75

This is a perspective that is definitely missing from most of our stories, and it was written in a very nuanced way. That said, for some reason I felt a bit detached from the characters. For me, this book works better as a prompt for discussion rather than to take the reader into the experiences the characters are going through. This book very deliberately tells the story of the Iliad through a female narrator, but I think I would have got more out of it if it had been her story rather than Achilles’.

This book is unsurprisingly very violent and sexual violence plays a big role, but I did appreciate that it never felt like a gratuitous portrayal of rape

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, and War

whoisshelby's review

dark inspiring reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and War

Moderate: Rape

gottheblues's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

• 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Slavery, and War

drj's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective slow-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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and War

Moderate: Gore, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Confinement, Blood, and Alcohol

natmorrall's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Violence, and War

natasza's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

I just finished reading this book and I needed good 10 minutes to reset and lay on my couch. What an incredible but tragic story. I highly recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

ylimets's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and War

Moderate: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

kajasversion's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

While i do think its important to amplify women’s voices during war time, i felt like this book had nothing nee to offer on the subject. The original text was bot enhanced, and the author even strayed away from the whole purpose of the book when she started writting chapters in Petrocolous’s and Achilles’ perspective. It makes no sense to have their POVs in story centered around women that is meant to shed a light on them. I did like the book as a whole, as i am a slut for retellings and i would recommend it, bit it wasn’t the best i had read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Slavery, and War

Moderate: Child death, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Animal death, Suicide, and Vomit

cthulhu_calamari's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

I read this right after re-reading The Iliad, which is not as great as its expectations. This book gives so much deeper and resonant context and meaning to the Trojan War that it should be considered a required companion to its source. Greek myths were meant to evolve with their audience, and *this* is the form that should be considered canon in the current age. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Confinement

paybecker's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and War