Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Galatea by Madeline Miller

10 reviews

shaun_dh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Madeline Miller could write an IT manual and I would read it. She could make a grocery list poetry

Like any great short fiction, this quickly riled me up then left me deeply satisfied—the ultimate “good for her” ending. I don’t believe you need to have read or know anything about Pygmalion to appreciate this. But knowing the premise of the Pygmalion myth, and the fact that Miller names Galatea and leaves Pygmalion unnamed (a reversal of the original story) makes this short retelling even better. This one’s certainly for the girls

I also loved Miller’s author’s note at the end. The last paragraph? POETRY I TELL YOU

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

Minor: Fatphobia, Medical content, Grief, and Pregnancy

rebekah_leigh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abortion

ankiaisreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

mayakay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I loved this short story

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Grief

Minor: Death, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Murder

I wonder if she died when she dragged her husband into the ocean or if she turned back into a stone sculpture or both??

sshraddha141's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Rape, and Grief

kestrel_of_the_pages's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

An absolutely haunting take on Galatea. Gorgeously violent and vindictive, taught with unease, and cathartically healing for survivors (potentially).

Speaking of: survivors of domestic violence, abuse, and/or sexual assault could have PTSD alarms set off. There were parts that deeply nauseated me, but the end is worth it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Grief

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? No

3.75

Although it is brief and slightly one-dimenosional, it is a heartbreaking about narcissistic abuse and a feminist reimagining of the “Pygmalion” myth is always welcomed. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, and Death

There are scenes of forced role play, and the short story ends with a drowning of Pygmalion and Galatea.

llyrian's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

That was so sad :( 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and War

ninahuynh's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Madeline Miller reimagines Greek Mythologies with such beautiful imagery. I could feel the frustration and entrapment Galatea feels as her husband traps her in the tiny room with surveillance in the form a nurse and doctor. The lengths a mother, even those who were formerly a stone statue, to save her child and the "children" who are and will be affected by her husband never ceases to prevail.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, and Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual content and Medical content

luminifera's review against another edition

dark inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Ideally, Galatea would

not have died at the end

, but I'll take what I have hahah

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

It's a very dark book. Galatea describes her sufferings with much detail.