Scan barcode
skylover's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I honestly am speechless, but will try my best to share even a fraction of the thoughts that come to me right now in the aftermath that is this book. It's like being thrown in headfirst to the middle part of a story, right before the climax, if you aren't familiar with the original story of Antigone (which I am not, so imagine how disoriented in the world I was at first). I thought the characters were great, dynamic, and complex, for such a short story. The world building was simple enough - dystopian, yet sci-fi with women's rights to reproductive being the main theme - to follow, only in the beginning did a few words trip me up before their synonyms to our language were introduced. I am still gaping at the ending and trying to piece together what all I just read. Something tells me there's even more I didn't catch this first time around. This is a story that leaves an impact bigger than its page count, and will stay with me for a minute....wow. V Roth you've outdone yourself
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Classism
misterwisp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
It's an interesting, well written sci fi retelling of an old Greek play. The characters are well done and the darkness of the dystopia setting gives a distinct feel to everything. It's alternately sad, melancholy, and grim at different times. The writing is strong and evokes the underlying themes in a compelling way. It's a pretty quick short little book and I liked it enough to want a more from certain parts. Even so it's pretty good overall. It does leave a desire to try more by the author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Classism
Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
bessadams's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence and Pregnancy
wizardish's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
millionsofmax's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Incest and Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility and Sexual content
axkerti's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
You can spot the Greek tragedy roots that this novella is retelling easily, the beats are all there. (It actually surprised me how much of the source material I remembered when I read this.) But where the play had a kind of flat portrayal of our characters because it was just a script, this book breathed life into Antigone and her siblings, and their extended family. They were all so uniquely their own characters that you could feel the family dynamics in the prose even when they weren't being outright shared with us.
I loved how the play became the frame for commentary on recent events in America with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and so many other legislations that some state governments are putting forward to control the people. And having Antigone resigned to being "just a womb on legs" but also hating it resonated so deeply.
I think the only thing I had a problem with was that I was given hope that there would be a different ending and then there wasn't. I'm not mad that there wasn't, but I'm also a little disappointed because it gives something of a bleak outlook for our future in reality. There was so little hope in how the story ended for the characters. The only one who in theory survived was the uncle and even then chances are he doesn't either given what Eurydice says about inciting a riot if he actually follows through with his plan.
I loved how the play became the frame for commentary on recent events in America with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and so many other legislations that some state governments are putting forward to control the people. And having Antigone resigned to being "just a womb on legs" but also hating it resonated so deeply.
I think the only thing I had a problem with was that I was given hope that there would be a different ending and then there wasn't. I'm not mad that there wasn't, but I'm also a little disappointed because it gives something of a bleak outlook for our future in reality. There was so little hope in how the story ended for the characters. The only one who in theory survived was the uncle and even then chances are he doesn't either given what Eurydice says about inciting a riot if he actually follows through with his plan.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Death and Religious bigotry
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
nukie19's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Rape
More...