Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Der Report der Magd: Roman by Margaret Atwood

305 reviews

myngerrys's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Violence

cumminsn's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

This book made me uncomfortable, which is obviously the point. Most disturbing is just how close society has managed to get to something akin to what is going on here as more and more rights are stripped from women. This book really does act as a warning for what could happen, and the notion makes me feel ill. 

Narratively, it was challenging at times to know what time period we were in, past or present, but this may have been further accentuated by the fact that was listening to the audio book so there were no obvious page breaks or any other such indicators that a change in time or place was happening. Otherwise, the story was chilling, and the end leaves us wondering what became of Offred. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

haklarb'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

Moderate: Violence

sestout's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Gore, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and War

katie0528's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I've never actually picked up this book until now, despite being an advid watcher of the TV show. The book follows "Offred" as she serves as a "Handmaid" in an alternate timeline. While some aspects of the book still really hit home in 2024, I think I was just expecting more. Offred's knowledge of the world around her is very limited, at least that she is willing to share in the story, and while that makes sense, I just wish we could see more of the world and the resistance or lack thereof. The fall of America is only briefly alluded to despite Offred living through it, and the epilogue set in the far future with mock historians discussing the book offers little additional clarity to the settings or characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Police brutality

alixbx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

To be edited when I can compose my thoughts.

This main character is a piece of work (derogatory) but the story’s major elements are so relevant all these decades after it’s first publication. I don’t know yet how to reconcile that I hate the main character so much and yet feel that this should be required reading.

Full thoughts to come in an edit, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

This book is explicit in every topic it addresses, and it is addressed through the mind of the main character who sexualizes everything, no matter how unnecessarily. It is often without warning, too, so you can’t even skip over it if you think it’s coming up. It’s also graphic in every other way, too.

orange8's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Horrifyingly beautiful 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence

Moderate: Miscarriage and Suicide

Minor: Torture

el_the_13th's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

camisword97's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Kidnapping

gabbygarcia's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Torture, Vomit, and War

parent-child separation