Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Circe by Madeline Miller

309 reviews

iladevlin28'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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

larrydavid_jpg's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

micalyia's review

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I love Greek mythology. Idk if I’m vocal enough about that. 

I’d been meaning to read this for over a year and I’m glad I finally got around to it. It’s such a beautiful and harrowing tale that follows Circe’s life but weaves in the stories of so many other gods and goddesses. I was deeply engrossed even if I was sad.

I will say it was long asffff. And when I hit the 80% mark I was tired, but I’m glad I kept going because I loved the ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, War, Sexism, Rape, and Violence

demento's review

emotional inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Misogyny, and Infidelity

benjipfletch's review

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

i must acquire the rest of this author’s works. immediately.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault

Spoiler

we all know the tale of circe changing men to pigs, there’s a brief rape scene that is not too physically graphic

ghulsona's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Violence, Bullying, Abandonment, Grief, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Death, Alcohol, and Sexual content

jessiereads98's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Circe is truly an epic. I loved how Madeline Miller created an Odyssey-style story following a woman throughout major events in her life along with the mundane details of daily life at various points. Madeline Miller’s prose is so gorgeous that moments which would traditionally be considered dull feel more like a natural ebb in the story. Comparatively, the ending felt a bit abrupt. Things seemed to rush to a close, compared to the ebb and flow, and slowed pacing of the rest of the book. Overall, characterization is at times weak as the focus is more on overall themes and the more universal storytelling of Greek mythology. Circe is told through a highly introspective narrative. This, combined with the storytelling structure Miller employs, at times leads to side characters feeling flat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Violence, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexism

Minor: Blood, Confinement, Animal death, Death of parent, Sexual content, Murder, Grief, and War

passivewax's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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

4.75

WOW! Blown away. Beautiful and dark and the best testimony I’ve seen to the worthwhile flaws of being human. 

“I had walked the earth for a hundred generations, yet I was still a child to myself.”

Something else I want to add is that often I have trouble being able to envision scenery when reading, like following along with an author’s depictions is usually pointless for me and something I will read twice and then skip over because the description just doesn’t do it for me. Miller’s writing never once stumped me or had me reread, even in complex visual scenes. And also - it was so beautiful! The world she created and the imagery of nature and feelings was so extremely vivid. Was a nice change for sure. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Medical trauma, Slavery, War, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Incest, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

gabriella_'s review

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

4.5

I read most of this book on a round trip train ride and someone’s front lawn. My god this book was gripping. I preferred The Song of Achilles for the romantic overtures but I think Madeline Miller really comes into her own as an author writing prose in this piece. The depth of the way she characterizes has compounded exponentially in this book. It’s such a refreshing spin on Greek mythos that I couldn’t put the book down.

This book made me laugh and cry within mere lines. I love the way Madeline Miller writes structures of misogyny without relegating women to damsels, and while writing all her characters as multidimensional with their own agendas. She captures the essence of Greek mythos without letting it choke out her own artistic vision.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Rape, Child death, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Cannibalism, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Sexism, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, Violence, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Medical trauma, Medical content, Misogyny, Incest, Sexual harassment, War, Child abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

bibliochica's review

adventurous emotional informative inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Abandonment, Sexual violence, and Confinement