Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Galatea by Madeline Miller

105 reviews

gisl's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Very dark and pretty depressing. Institutionalized woman who has spent every single moment of her life since she came to life being sexually abused and objectified (some sort of irony there, where she’s more objectified when alive than when she was a statue, idk). She is also medically abused, physically abused, and kept locked up in a dark room away from her child, where she’s forced (by threat or by sedation) to lay in bed until her husband comes to rape her. It has a bittersweet ending, but overall was very very short and left far too many questions unanswered and the world as a whole felt vague and undefined. That might be the point, since the main character wasn’t allowed to explore and nobody spoke to her to explain things or just chat. Still, I hoped for something a bit more substantial; This almost felt like just trauma porn.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma

Minor: Abortion

wintrowvestrit's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-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

3.75

This short story by Madeline Miller feels right at home in her bibliography. Sadly it lacks the immersive depth that's characteristic of Miller, which is to be expected from the chosen format. I liked the portrayal of the "ancient incel", but wish there was more nuance to be found within the work. Again, a product of the format.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Body shaming, Miscarriage, and Rape

Minor: Pedophilia, Slavery, and Pregnancy

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Madeline Miller’s writing is so impeccable. I don’t know how you can read anything by her—even this short story—and not be amazed by her words. I knew nothing of the source material and I didn’t need to. A great little story about strong women and the inevitable downfall of awful men. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Rape, Murder, and Pregnancy

kaleekolai's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Excrement

Minor: Body shaming and Pregnancy

thestarlesscasea's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Pedophilia

midway's review against another edition

emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Forced institutionalization

ugglana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Abortion

jenny_d's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Toxic relationship

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

This is the story of Galatea, the greek myth of the statue turned woman. Miller does a fantastic job of making this story seem to transcend time while making it relevant to women across time. In Millers version, Galatea has been institutionalized and taken away from her daughter. As she is sedated, raped, and talked down on, she plots her escape. Galatea is a man made woman that isn't even good enough for the man who made her. This is a poignant tale of misogyny and female rage. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

crabadelic's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual harassment