Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

92 reviews

thenovelmaura's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

I don't know exactly why, but Greek mythology feels like fall to me! Maybe it's all the literature classes I had to take during fall semesters in college. Or the fact that a retelling of a familiar tale feels cozy, even when the author gives it a new twist. It could even be that the darkness in these stories meshes so well with the lengthening nights. Regardless, I loved reading this book for my November book club meeting and it ended up being one of my favorites of the year. We had a great discussion about all of the complex themes and familial relationships in this one, so I would recommend it to any book club!
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Slavery, War, and Rape

celery's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Domestic abuse, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Classism, Murder, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and War

divyak's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child death, and Rape

beanformation's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Incest, Rape, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Animal death, Lesbophobia, Murder, Homophobia, War, Child abuse, and Pedophilia

hyithia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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? No

3.5

• enjoyed how the perspective of Clytemnestra matured as she got older; felt as if I was experiencing the passage of time as Clytemnestea was because the tone of the writing changed as she grew up
• some may call Clytemnestra "morally ambiguous"; this book has made me find her moral compass to align with her circumstance and era
• we love a strong female character
• characters other than Clytemnestra felt developed for the amount of time in the book they were given
• brain too smol to completely understand the political conflicts
• The dynamic between Clytemnestra and Helen was endearing
• I appreciate how vengeful and unforgiving Clytemnestra is
• many intense topics throughout the book

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had more historical context. there were a lot of references to Greek mythology and politics that I was not familiar with. due to this, it was somewhat difficult to follow the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Sexual violence, Murder, Child death, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Rape

Minor: War

crazytourists_books's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

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

2.5

I had high hopes for this book; Clytemnestra is one of the few and strongest women in greek myths and stories. I wanted to read a book that she narrates. I wanted to hear her. I wanted something new. 
There was nothing new in this book, nothing we didn't know already. 
My hopes were crashed.
I was also disappointed that in a 467-page long book, there wasn't room for her death. 
And another thing... The use of greek words, is not always right. Endings are wrong, words that do not make sense... There are even latin words. Come on people, do some proper research, will you? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Blood, Murder, Death, Child death, Rape, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Violence

saskia_ej's review

challenging emotional medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Blood, Physical abuse, Slavery, Child death, Death, Grief, Murder, Rape, and Violence

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-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? Yes

4.25

 Clytemnestra is a fabulous, fiesty feminist mythology retelling centred on the life of Clytemnestra, half-sister of Helen of Troy and wife of Agamemnon, King of Mycenae . In traditional male-centred mythology she is a side character, often portrayed as insane, an evil husband killer. By centering her, following her story, and convincingly imagining the gaps Casati makes Clytemnestra’s thirst for vengeance totally understandable, a valid and almost unavoidable decision for a strong woman, loving mother and powerful Queen. This book is impeccably researched, action packed and full of all the love, desire, violence, tragedy, betrayal and conniving you’d expect from Greek mythology, while also highlighting the toll both patriarchy and warfare extract from women. Totally absorbing from beginning to end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Rape, and Violence

Moderate: War and Slavery

hwidlund's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, War, and Murder

kylecooper280919's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Rape