Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

The Collector by John Fowles

6 reviews

jemmareadsalot's review

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Ableism

shmayjoy's review

dark 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: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Violence, Vomit, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

silver_lining_in_a_book's review

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 

I am one in a row of specimens. It's when I try to flutter out of line that he hates me. I'm meant to be dead, pinned, always the same, always beautiful. He knows that part of my beauty is being alive, but it's the dead me he wants. He wants me living-but-dead.

This book took me by total surprise. If not for a friends recommendation and insistence on me giving this book a try, I don't think I ever would have. I am so glad I did; not because I enjoyed the reading experience or found the plot particularly entertaining, it was quite the opposite. It was the character building, exploration of class-structures in society and the portrayal of our obsession with all things superficial and beautiful that really stood out to me and made this book worth reading.

There is a lot of emphasis on a person's ability to create and to progress, our complex thoughts and actions being what makes us human and how the desire to hoard, capture and collect kills the beauty in whatever it is that you seek to preserve. I am certain that there is a lot in this book that I missed, but I certainly felt for the characters - Frederick disturbed me immensely and I absolutely loved Miranda and wanted her to be alright. Reading from her perspective made me feel more claustrophobic and near-panic than I have ever felt while reading a book. It is incredible to me that John Fowles was able to transfer her feelings and thoughts so vividly through pages, and as letter / diary entries no less.

It is very difficult to rate a book like this. As I have said before, it is not fun to read, but it is not meant to be; it is disturbing, triggering and ultimately very unsatisfying, but it is unique and incredibly successful in achieving what Fowles set out for it to accomplish. He deserves high praise, I doubt many writers would be able to create what he managed to here. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexism, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Classism

Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Alcohol

bookishdreamer's review

dark sad slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Ableism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Vomit

izzystorm's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism

Minor: Sexual violence

dear_alice's review

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

I see why this book is critically acclaimed, but I just couldn't get over how much I disliked both main characters. I read this for work/school and I was glad it was finally over. Some really interesting themes to discuss with my students but personally absolutely not my cup of tea. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death