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nevdite284's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Medical content, and Kidnapping
isusp_65's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, and War
Moderate: Rape and Murder
Minor: Suicide
nisireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and War
withlivjones's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
My one gripe with this book is that the pacing is rather inconsistent. The start is somewhat slow, and I am grateful for the time skips to ensure that the narrative doesn’t get boring. However, Helen’s “abduction” occurs over halfway through the book and the actual war doesn’t start until three quarters of the way through. From there, the pacing is almost breakneck as the author attempts to fit the nine-year Trojan war, as well as its aftermath, into under one hundred pages. I appreciate that retellings of the Trojan War, especially the events covered in the Iliad, have been done to death in other adaptations, but I feel that Helen’s perspective of more parts of the war, or even Klytemnestra’s reception of the news of certain events, could have enhanced the story. I was half expecting Kalchas to somehow make a return, either during the plague (which isn’t mentioned) or when the Trojan Horse arrives (which is alluded to in a single sentence), since he plays a significant role in the first half of the novel and then completely disappears after Iphigenia’s death. The book barely touches on the events of the Iliad and the Agamemnon and doesn’t even cover the Libation Bearers (leaving both Klytemnestra’s and Elektra’s arcs feeling somewhat unfinished), and I think that the author really could have taken advantage of the opportunity to discuss the motivations of Helen and Klytemnestra in these stories where their actions are so significant.
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Genocide, Miscarriage, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Period-typical attitudes towards womengrummy_mania's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and War
lanid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
mothman19's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Pedophilia, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Infertility, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Abandonment
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
still, i thought the characters were pretty... vanilla? like especially the men. you hear stories about the men's rage and bitterness, about the sexism and misogyny, but the men in this book were kind of ... alright i guess?
they were abusive sometimes and assholes of course, but when it came down to it, all they did was scream, mostly. and menelaos was like a puppy idk
i also thought the book was too slow and long in the wrong places. helen's and klytemnestra's childhoods were interesting, but you could keep it shorter. for the first half of the book not a lot really happened. i had wished for more infos and stories beyond the trojan war, explore the lives after, but it just cut off there, after the war had ended.
really addictive writing tho, would still definitely recommend. an informative, lyrical gem—with flaws:)
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, and Medical trauma
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Death of parent
abfabulous17's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, and Suicide
annasbookreviews's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury