Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

487 reviews

wildflower_magic's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

What a beautiful retelling of the story of Achilles. I swooned over the portrayal of the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus and I think Patroclus was the perfect narrator for the story. Madeline Miller did a fantastic job of holding true to the original stories while also creating something unique and special within that story. The writing style was gorgeous: perfectly flowery and song-like just like the myths would have been told. The character development was so interesting. A month later and I still think about how this book ended! This book gives a lot of opportunities to reflect on the age-old debate: do we have control, or is it up to fate? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Biphobia, Child abuse, Child death, Genocide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Transphobia, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Outing, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

avaa1000's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny and Slavery

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Vomit, and Pregnancy

mkdila's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

Such a devastatingly beautiful read. So much love and child-like wonder, but also terrible war and pride and what that does to relationships. Of course, also a heavy dose of mythology intertwined in this story made it very enjoyable as a Percy Jackson kid haha. 

(I did regrettably find out Spotify limits how many audiobook hours you get each month about halfway through this audiobook so be warned) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, and War

Moderate: Slavery

turidt's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, and War

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail

barbarianmissy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow, talk about a Greek tragedy!

I really loved this book. Summing up Patroclus’ entire life into 369 pages was a worthy feat. I felt like I lived it alongside him.

The love story in this book between Patroclus and Achilles was so beautiful and tragic and unapologetic. It was so good. I also found it super interesting how they truly shaped one another’s character. Patroclus started off his exile cynic and prideful, whereas Achilles was introduced as a breath of life and beauty. They really swapped those traits during the war. 

I got SUPER FRUSTRATED near the end with Achilles and Agamemnon in how both THEIR own prides cost so many men their lives. Gah, frickin MEN! Also Achilles’ stupid idiot son can EAT A CAR TIRE AND DIE. What a lil shit and a half. Glad he didn’t last long. 

Anywho, I really loved the ending. Reading about the immense grief had me in TEARS but it was so beautifully written. It was a nice switch up that Achilles’ crazy nymph mama really just was a protective mummy who loved her kid in the end. Happy she gave her son what he truly loved and wished for in the end. They found their peace and it was just a gorgeous finale. 

I JUST LOVED THIS STORY OK!?! Felt like I was back in elementary school obsessing over Ancient Greek Mythology again. Also, Madeline Miller is such an amazing author, I may read Circe next. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

saintmare's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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

Listened to the audiobook.

I think this book is nearly perfect. It's clear a lot of research went into this book and the tone matches the fact it's a Greek retelling. At some points I thought some descriptions were a bit too repetitive, though it matched with the tone of the book. I think the scope was well chosen and executed. The prose was lovely, at points drawing from the descriptions in epics.

In some way, this book is limited by the fact it's a retelling. You cannot divorce Achilles and Patroclus from their roots, from the violence of their origins and by portraying them as more sympathetic than they sometimes are in their original stories to focus on their bond, a choice is made. It's perfect for this book, but it's a limitation, one I can't describe it better without talking in circles.

I recommend this book nonetheless. It did make me cry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, and War

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Minor: Ableism, Fatphobia, and Transphobia

By transphobia, I mean specifically transmisogyny.

At one point Achilles hides dressed as a girl himself. TL;DR, the other heroes mention that one of the greatest blemishes on a man's honour is be to be a man pursuing femininity, which is also leveraged against him later. This, of course, reflects the misogyny in the society but the way it was worded did make my skin crawl personally. Achilles and Patroclus himself aren't weird about this, though.

shaun_dh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I came for the Greek stuff and stayed for the gay shit. The Song of Achilles is the most beautifully written love story I have ever read. It’s breathtaking. Stunning. A masterpiece 

I can’t remember the last time I cried this much over a book. I am a big Greek mythology nerd so I knew the story and the outcome, but Madeline Miller’s storytelling hits different. Her writing is so lyrical and plays out like a movie in my head

I cannot even come up with words for how much I love this because I’m still crying 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content

Minor: Pregnancy

nottheexplorer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Abandonment

Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

lavenderzinnia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Body shaming, Homophobia, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Self harm, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Outing, and Classism

bucklace27's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and War

Moderate: Sexual violence