Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

41 reviews

artcish's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

As someone who enjoys Greek and Roman mythology, this book was an interesting read. Not just interesting as it is from a woman’s perspective but also the  various events and mindsets that shaped the mythology. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and War

Minor: Child death, Death, Kidnapping, and Alcohol

elizcorgi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexual harassment, and War

garnethalo's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.75

In Jennifer Saint's Elektra, I understood the daughter. Now in Costanza Casati's book, I understand the mother, Clytemnestra. A wonderful read that had me turning the next page with both anticipation and wariness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

A Greek myth retold. Surrounding the Trojan war. It is a Greek tragedy! Comes with the usual Greek tragedy warnings.

yilliun's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

I have seen the Oresteia play performed before, so this was a very interesting re-examination of the Greek classic for me. I think my main criticism stems from

Casati leaving out WHY Agamemnon offended the God’s and sacrificed Iphigenia. I think adding this narrative element would have made Clytemnestra’s rage EVEN MORE valid.

I think at some points Clytemnestra ends up reading as a cartoonish villain in her quest for vengeance. I do have to respect that she really played the long game in waiting to

murder her husband

. Overall, if you want a story about female rage and refusing to break for the men who believe women are weak, this is a good choice.

I found the family tree extremely helpful considering how entangled these families are. I frequently referenced it even as I got close to finishing the book, I still got confused lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

It’s an adaptation of a Greek myth. These are all (unfortunately) standards for the genre, even if the version is done from a woman’s perspective.

raebae's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

justagirlandherbookshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Initially I enjoyed reading this book but around halfway through it  became tedious. I can understand the need for complex descriptions but it became a little too pedantic in its descriptors. I did push through and finish it but I will say some chapters could have been made shorter and others longer. I would be be intrigued to read more of Casati’s work when it comes out to see if it’s a topic issue or her work just isn’t for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Sexual harassment

nehaanna's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.75

The retelling of female mythological characters is a delicate execution. This novel seeks to excavate the life and thoughts of one of the most ruthless women in Greek mythology, the wife of the ruthless king Agamemnon. This novel undertakes the retelling of Clytmnestra’s life from childhood to middle age as she rules in the absence of her husband during the famed Trojan War. This book is very similar to other feminist retelling of myths such as the novel Kaiyeki. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Homophobia, Incest, Sexism, and Alcohol

awhitacre's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War

alice_underland's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book made me cry so much

I already knew the story of Clytemnestra going into it and Costanza Casati was able to bring so much more depth to the main character. 

Whether you’ve read the play and read a retelling or simply wanted to read about a complex and strong women character, look no further. Casanti does an amazing job of expanding on Clytenmstra’s life and of her family.
I looked forward to what books this amazing author had to bring.

I cannot state how much I cried, I normally rip through books in a day or two, but this book I had to put down and simply let my tears escape. Even before the tragedies occurred such as Iphigenia’s death i would weep. I felt like this book was written knowing that I would know what was to come and still rip the rug from beneath my feet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War

aimszee's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence