Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

6 reviews

missgarceau's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Slavery, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Classism, Sexism, War, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Infidelity, Mental illness, Torture, and Trafficking

heatherjchin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Animal death, War, Gore, Bullying, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Child death, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Incest, Grief, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism

rustmaiden's review against another edition

dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Child death, Sexual assault, Infidelity, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Violence, War, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Child death, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Vomit, Torture, and War

gondorgirl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and War

herasrevenge88's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I enjoyed this book and wrote down a lot of quotes. I love Greek mythology and retellings, but some thing in the pacing of this book, made certain parts of it harder to get through than others. What got me through the slow parts is the fact that I already know the story of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. I am unsure if anyone who is unfamiliar with their story would be as willing to push through the slow parts of the story. However, I do feel that the writing is very well done. I was cheering Clytemnestra on even while I recoiled at some of her antics. The author does an amazing job of painting, the portrait of an actual woman not just a character of legend. Clytemnestra is flawed, but she also is very relatable and very human. I finish this book feeling like I would have probably done exactly what she had done had I lived her life and experienced these things.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Animal death, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcoholism, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Slavery, Toxic relationship, War, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, and Infidelity

thevioletfoxbookshop's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

 Clytemnestra is a literary saga of betrayal, heartbreak, grief, and vengeance. Sweeping decades through ancient Greece, Clytemnestra takes the reader on a journey from growing up as a Spartan princess, through marriage, into the Trojan war, and beyond. When you hear the word tragedy, you might think of Shakespearean plays, but start thinking Clytemnestra. Costanza Casati knows her stuff and she's not sugarcoating it!

Spartan girls are trained to be hunters and warriors. But don't be fooled. The women of Sparta do not have equal rights, if any at all. The patriarchy rules with absolution. Murder and rape are commonplace, running rampant along with homophobia, abuse, and enslavement. Power, glory, and pride come before all else. Predictably, this cruel world is filled with monsters - some born and some made. But some of those monsters are relatable, because here's the thing... if what happened to Clytemnestra happened to me... I wouldn't have been as nice.

I'm not a big Greek history buff - I know just the basics. And I was kind of glad I didn't know much while reading this because I didn't see the plot twists coming! Even if you think you know Clytemnestra's story, this book will surprise you. It's definitely a fresh take on an old tale and Casati takes the reader deep into the mind and emotions of Clytemnestra in a way that has never been done before. It's brutal, visceral, layered in complexities, and so well-researched. 

Clytemnestra sneaks up on you like a summer storm - the world growing darker and hazier until lightning strikes! If you're a Greek mythology fan, Clytemnestra is an absolute must read! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual assault, War, Grief, Physical abuse, Murder, Rape, Child death, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Abandonment, Blood, and Child abuse