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alyflowers's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and War
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
aseel_reads's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I enjoyed the first 40% of the book, found the next 30% okay to read, and the last 30% was just a slog to get through, by the last hour, I wanted it over so badly. I am usually a clytemnestra girly, but I found Electra's pov really compelling. Honestly, it's probably Orestes who was super boring to read and the ghost elements weren't as engaging as they could have been
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Rape, and War
fvreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, and War
sofipitch's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The first chapter from Clytemnestra's pov is good but the rest is punishingly slow, boring, and devoid of emotion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Rape and Grief
sab_eth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Rape, and Murder
selkelite's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, and Murder
Minor: Rape
srm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.25
I love watching this story unfold in such close narration from these three characters-- Clytemnestra, Elektra, and especially Orestes. Toibin's writing is lovely. I really wanted the story to just keep going and going.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, and War
megelissag's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Really strong start (incredible retelling honestly, from Clytemnestra's POV) but then devolved into a muddy, esoteric slog in the latter sections. He's an incredibly gifted writer, but I still didn't get the questions answered that I really thought were universal, to anyone fascinated with this section of mythology: WHY did Electra take her father's side? HOW does she grow up fiercely idolizing the man who murdered her sister? There's very little exploration of that (or Electra herself) in the book other than some half-hearted comparison of her to her mother's cold, masterful political prowess in the end. It can't just be "she didn't know the truth." There is so much rage in Electra's voice, but no real attention devoted to the foundations of her personality, the things inside her heart that made her that way.
I also think, truthfully, that any take on this story that prioritizes the men's feelings over the women's, is automatically unnecessary. It's been like a thousand years, how is it that there is still no satisfying novel about this mother and her daughters? To kill in revenge for one, only to be betrayed and killed by her second daughter? THAT'S the story I'm interested in, and it's not necessarily the author's fault that it's not the book he wrote, but it made it difficult to wade through the last two-thirds of this. Particularly the sections from Orestes' POV, which were sparsely narrated and a bit boring, honestly. (Although I will say it's super interesting to characterize him as a tragically naïve, manipulated child.)
Also? <Spoiler>Fucking bullshit that he let Aegisthus live, especially since he re-characterized the story to give him MORE power, and Clytemnestra LESS. Sure, realistic, but fuck off, dude!!!
Great political worldbuilding, though. Really if you just read the first section and stop there it's fucking brilliant. This story remains heartwrenching no matter how many takes I read on it.
I also think, truthfully, that any take on this story that prioritizes the men's feelings over the women's, is automatically unnecessary. It's been like a thousand years, how is it that there is still no satisfying novel about this mother and her daughters? To kill in revenge for one, only to be betrayed and killed by her second daughter? THAT'S the story I'm interested in, and it's not necessarily the author's fault that it's not the book he wrote, but it made it difficult to wade through the last two-thirds of this. Particularly the sections from Orestes' POV, which were sparsely narrated and a bit boring, honestly. (Although I will say it's super interesting to characterize him as a tragically naïve, manipulated child.)
Also? <Spoiler>Fucking bullshit that he let Aegisthus live, especially since he re-characterized the story to give him MORE power, and Clytemnestra LESS. Sure, realistic, but fuck off, dude!!!
Great political worldbuilding, though. Really if you just read the first section and stop there it's fucking brilliant. This story remains heartwrenching no matter how many takes I read on it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Moderate: Rape and Kidnapping