Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Circe by Madeline Miller

1217 reviews

idkwhoisnita's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

okaychanly's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

Circe starts off kind of slow, making it challenging to dive in at first. But I’m so glad I stuck with it because it ended up being such a great read! With only a basic understanding of Greek mythology, I appreciated how Miller reimagines Circe’s story, infusing it with a powerful feminist perspective. The themes of empowerment and identity resonate deeply throughout the narrative. Miller's writing is captivating, filled with rich detail that brings the world to life. Overall, it's a beautifully crafted tale that transforms a familiar myth into something profoundly relevant and engaging.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Death and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Incest, and War

gabbyeleene's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child death and Death

Minor: Animal death, Incest, and War

lucybird's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

oplu's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal death, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

emlawley's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I listened to this book in stages as it is intense due to the subject matter, but I enjoyed it a lot. I don’t know much about Greek history and mythology but had heard good things about this retelling as it centred Circe and other often-sidelined female characters in history. As expected, there are some very difficult and upsetting scenes. Fascinating, thought-provoking and important.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder

tanoka's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Body horror, Violence, and War

singalana's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective 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

5.0

I thought giving both the Song of Achilles and Circe five stars was impossible, but I’m glad I was proven wrong!

Madeline Miller specialises in Greek mythology retellings. She takes her time writing her books, and it shows. In Miller’s hands, what might sound like a strange and simply outlandish children’s tale turns into something organic, like the laws of nature. Now, she tells the story of Circe - most people remember her as the witch who turned Odysseus’ men into swine. But she is so much more than that, as Miller shows.

The characters are familiar from Greek mythology. Gods and mortal men all turn into something extraordinary in Miller’s hands, each with distinctive personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. Circe’s story is full of scheming, hubris, vengeance, and love. Sometimes, I had to peek at the next chapter just to find out what happened and what to expect before continuing the story. Very few books have the power to do that. 

I marvel at Miller’s writing style: every sentence is crafted beautifully. There are bits of dialogue I want to read over and over again because the words and the message behind them are so masterfully delivered. 

But what decided the rating for me was the ending. So be warned, spoilers ahead!

Spoilers!

Madeline Miller knows when to follow the source material and when to divert from it. And I’m glad she did because the book ends on a sad yet hopeful note. In the original mythos, Odysseus and Circe have many children together, and Telemachus eventually kills Circe. But Miller’s ending gives Circe the ending she deserves.

And the cover art is gorgeous. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

sarah_dp's review against another edition

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

uselesspirateraven's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Deportation