Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

57 reviews

kimib79's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

2.0

This wasn't written for me. It can best be described as "WTHeck did I just read?"
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

cloudyowls's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark fast-paced

2.0

What to say about this book? I don't even know where to begin. All the stories are such an uncomfortable read and I would never read this in a million years if it wasn't for school. It's supposed to be feminist retellings and maybe when I actually study it, I will see that. But on the surface, it seems like the most uncomfortable sexualisation of girls' virginity as the most "desirable" concept. I did not need to read as many sex references as this book made, but still struggled through it. Some of the stories are good and she writes well but the stories are so genuinely concerning I do not recommend it to be read. Please keep in mind that the stories contain pre-pubescent girls so if that is triggering, I beg you to not read.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

ciebeanie's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • 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

5.0

for perspective i did this collection for my a-level coursework and to this day i still go back and reread it. despite the pain it caused me i routinely return!

angela carter is a master of prose. she revels in the dark, the gory and the sexual and boy does she do it well - these short stories will leave you thinking about them for weeks. deeply entwined with the second wave of feminism and themes of female identity and sexuality, carter’s work is unrestrained and shines brilliantly because of it, even in all of its complexity. the deeper you start to dive into these stories, the more you find, though they’re certainly enjoyable as surface-level fairy tales, too!

my personal favourites are ‘the bloody chamber’, ‘the erl king’ and ‘the tiger’s bride’. if you’re a fan of british band wolf alice, this collection is where they got their name from.

i would very heavily recommend carter’s essay ‘the sadeian woman’ as an accompaniment to this collection, as it explores more explicitly her thoughts on pornography and women’s sexuality. speaking of which - this book does not shy away from darker topics, though it does handle them with grace, complexity and thought (and the occasional bite of humour to balance the equation). carter was master of her craft and this is arguably her magnum opus - enjoy!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

james1star's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective tense medium-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

2.0

Really didn’t like this all that much. It’s somewhat well written but also confusing, things do happen but it’s hard to fully know why/how and what the point of it is. This made it rather convoluted and I needed to revisit parts to try and get any semblance of what’s going on. It’s billed as a feminist adult retelling of folkish tales but honesty a lot of the time women were being controlled in some way by men, bowing to them, and really didn’t do much. At times they have sexual agency but was very meh. The best story was the titular one but still nothing much to write home about. I have sadly been put off wanting to read anything else by Carter, at least for the near future, but it may change. 

These are my thoughts on each story, I’ve tried to avoid spoilers but it’s my initial notes: 

The bloody chamber - 17 yo marries older man, honeymoon in his childhood castle by French coast, he goes to USA, finds his dungeon and previous 3 wives dead, what will happen to her, slightly vampiric? Bluebeard retelling  - 3.5  

My Lyon - ‘modern’ beauty and the beast retelling but he’s a lion - 3 

Tigers bride - woman’s dad bets with her and loses so goes to a desolated palace later finding out this person is a tiger - 2 

Puss-in-Boots - cat helps his master contact a woman he’s become in love with who’s trapped in a bad marriage, very camp - 2 

Erl-King - lovely nature writing but no clue on the plot, think it’s an allegory about a woman losing her virginity or emotional abuse in a relationship? Confusing - 2.5 

Snow child - started great about a count dreaming up a child (was getting snow white vibes) who appears in the snow but his wife wants rid, girl falls after pricking her finger on a rose and then he ‘unfastened his breeches and thrust his virile member into the dead girl.’ I’m sorry what? How tf did it get there - 1 star worst thing I’ve ever read! Would gladly give it less if I could! Dis-gust-ing!! 

Lady of the house of love - queen of the vampires lives in an old ruined château feasting on young men her mistress brings, then a soldier arrives and possibly breaks her ‘spell’ but at what cost…? - 3

Werewolf - girl set to visit grandma but encounters a wolf, chops off the hand and finds out her grandma is a witch who’s also that werewolf so town turn on her, potential but too convoluted and quick - 2.25 

Company of wolves - red riding hood kinda but make it confusing, felt uncomfortable reading it, possibly making reference to the beastliest of man in the way some turn into/are (were)wolfs? - 2 

Wolf-Alice - [note: why three werewolf stories all tougher?!] feral child ‘raised’ by wolves is a mix, stays with ‘another werewolf’ (?), starts puberty and the stress/unknowing of her first period, confusing and boring - 2 

Average 2.33 ⭐️ but because of that vile snow child one I’m manually downgrading to a straight 2. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

ameliethemoomin's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark inspiring mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

this may be my new obsession!! there's so much to say that i can't even begin! one thing: i had heard of angela carter but never of how beautiful her prose is. if you're thinking of reading this, i highly recommend checking content warnings first. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

archarlton's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

3.5

I really enjoyed Carter' writing style and I'm looking forward to discussing this in class. My favourite stories were The Bloody Chamber and The Lady of the House of Love.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

decepticons's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sleepy_stardust's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

3.25

The Bloody Chamber is good, but you really need to stick with it. It's very slow, but if you're willing to sift through the (almost) unbearably dense prose, it has some very meaningful takes about the power struggle of women in a patriarchal society.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

francescaastraea's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

DO NOT accidentally give this to a child to read as a bedtime story
Expand filter menu Content Warnings