Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

109 reviews

sarabookshelf's review against another edition

3.75

Maybe I had too high expectations, but this book just didn't hit the mark for me. I guess I really wanted to learn more about Penelope, and I feel like not much was told that we didn't already know from the original story. I liked the way the story was written, although the references to current period sometimes took me out of the story. And I appreciate the background of the maidens chapters and how it was meant to read like a traditional greek play, but I feel like the execution was not always successful. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Rape, and Slavery

lochnessvhs's review against another edition

fast-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? It's complicated

2.25

I am always confused when I read mythological retellings to give voice to the (usually voiceless) women in myth and then that one woman whom the author has given voice to spends a great chunk of her time talking about how awful all the OTHER women in myths are. In a brief 199 pages, Atwood manages to throw nearly every other female player in the orbit of Odysseus under the bus for seemingly no reason.

Additionally this retelling somehow failed at giving Penelope any type of personality. She truly was like the water her mother told her to be - formless and pliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Murder, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Rape, and Misogyny

vegetablemathematics's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and Murder

annakh16's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Rape

lizzym126's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Grief, Abandonment, Infidelity, Blood, Death, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Murder

Moderate: War and Violence

jessgonzalezbooks's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

leazzz's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Cursing, Blood, War, Trafficking, Sexism, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Rape, Torture, Sexual assault, Grief, Abandonment, Violence, and Death

emilymg_owen's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, and Murder

laurajeangrace's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Slavery, and Murder

americattt's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective

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

3.25

"He told me once that everyone has a hidden door, which was the way into the heart, and that it was a point of honour with him to be able to find the handles to those doors. For the heart was both key and lock, and he would could master the hearts of men and learn their secrets was well on the way to mastering the Fates and controlling the thread of his own destiny."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Rape

Moderate: Slavery