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richardgarrardsm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A brilliant and acerbic retelling of a Homeric classic. Very fast-paced (I finished it in a day), but very absorbent. Atwood’s talent for storytelling doesn’t diminish throughout the book, telling the story from multiple different angles and settings. The feminist inversion adds a lovely touch to the source material, a most patriarchal of all poems. Overall, a very slick and highly readable tale.
Minor: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Death, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
waytoomanybooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love a good myth retelling, especially when a voice is given to a woman who has been denied a voice. Margaret Atwood has always been good at giving voices to just such women. This was an emotional read. My heart goes out to Penelope. It's so easy to forget she suffered at home, alone, when you read about Odysseus traveling the world and having adventures. It's unfair to her, and this book reminds you of that and makes you feel what she felt. My only wish is that she had gotten a happy ending after all she went through.
Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
podanotherjessi's review against another edition
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.0
This book was very disappointing. I went in expecting this to be the femminst story of the maids, and instead I got slut-shaming and girl hate and perpetuation of misogyny. It would be easy to blame this on it being outdated, but I'm not sure that's even what's to blame. In any case, I think we can leave this in the past.
Characters: 4
Plot: 7
Setting: 6
General appeal: 5
Writing style: 8
Originality: 6
Ending: 4
Characters: 4
Plot: 7
Setting: 6
General appeal: 5
Writing style: 8
Originality: 6
Ending: 4
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, and Misogyny
Moderate: Rape, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
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