Reviews with content warning for Adult/minor relationship - Galatea

Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Galatea by Madeline Miller

43 reviews

whentheresteeth's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I really enjoyed listening to this, I would even say it felt sort of perfect in many ways. Miller's retelling of myth is always fascinating to me and my lack of loads of knowledge for this particular one almost made it easier to read without thinking of what could be done differently.

Content Warnings

holistichistorian's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional informative 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? Yes

4.75

I loved Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and after so many recommendations, I had to read Galatea and I’m absolutely overjoyed by it! As a short story, it has a natural fast pace but the characters are well defined it becomes easy to empathise with the protagonist (Galatea). I still adore Miller’s writing style, I feel immediately immersed in the time period. My favourite part was the Note from the Author, I found Miller’s insights brief but inspiring and satisfying. It’s wonderful to find a writer so invested in the message and history behind their writing. Examining classics with a modern lens is important, and Madeline Miller does this well. My only complaint is that it’s too short, I know that’s the point of a short story but I’m greedy, I want more. I recommend this to all classicists and those who love to explore social issues.

Content Warnings

reads2cope's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

A horror story. That is usually not my genre, but like Miller’s other work, this story completely gripped me.
Though I know she wrote it before getting Long COVID, I couldn’t help but connect the rage and despair of Galatea begging the doctor to believe her with the millions having the same fight today.

Content Warnings

thenoboshow's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

crusoe's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

Positives. As far as short stories go, this one is very strong. It is a story of a beautiful woman coming into her own as someone who is more than her beauty; she is curious, daring, intelligent and a loving mother. All of which is spoiled by her abusive husband who would rather see her as an obedient object of lust without thoughts or personality. The ending is devastating: while her last act gives her back her agency and stops her from being an object of lust, it also deprives her of the future she deserves.

Negatives. This story would have worked better as an addition to a collection or anthology. Ovid's stories are well known for connecting back to a larger theme. If you want to thoroughly critique Ovid's work, creating an anthology with an overarching theme would be the way to go.

Content Warnings

quarkie's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.25

I picked up this book based on a recommendation from the New York Times "Read Like the Wind" newsletter. It was one of two physically small books described that week, and it is small! 6" by 4", and about 50 pages long.

Honestly, I'm sort of glad it wasn't any longer. It didn't have to be, to get its main point across. The world that Galatea lives in is horrifying, and was very uncomfortable to read about. It is even worse to think how near this fiction is to reality: women being seen by men, their partners, their families, or society as a whole as nothing but property, and used as such. That it would be much better if they were silent and simply did as they were told. And how everyone - professionals, other women, strangers - all help uphold this role.

That said, it was beautifully written. Galatea's voice is clear, strong, and very matter-of-fact. To hear this story solely through her eyes is powerful. her reclamation of her own is ending is powerful.

Overall, it made me look forward to reading more by this author.

Content Warnings