Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker

48 reviews

booktalker's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment

mblanke's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Animal death

lauramay_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Medical content, Trafficking, and Injury/Injury detail

anima_vestaa's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

Very interesting concept and in some instances brilliantly told story. However, it’s not very clear what the logic behind the lore is, as there are many details true to the Homer epics and mythology overall, but then some characters and scenes were added by the author. The style was at some points rather naive as characters from that time simply would not have used some expressions of today’s common language. Together with the inconsistency of the mythology, the novel loses focus in my opinion that sadly distracts too much from scenes that were insanely original (e.g. the opening in the Trojan horse or the dialogue between Pyrrhus and Helenus about their fathers). Would still recommend as a filler read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, and War

theothergrl's review against another edition

hopeful 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

4.0

I really enjoyed The Women of Troy as a sequel. It was really interesting to read more about the politics of the camp, especially through the POV of a seer navigating these power dynamics very consciously. It was great to read an author write that power is the root of all the violence and misogyny, that these things are distributed by normal men, 'good' men.
I didn't enjoy it as much as the 1st, and I felt there was fatphobia that wasn't just through the 'eyes of the men' as it claims. So I give it a 4.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

Minor: Torture and Vomit

katy_bee's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I enjoyed this book for the start and middle but knocked a bit off my score for the end. I appreciate that by building on the Greek myths there was a limit to plot points but it felt a little lacking in clear resolution to me. 

Nevertheless I like retellings and this one engaged with the idea of what it actually means to be given as a prize of war- pretty bleak. The way the women were trying to find ways to be - and stay true to themselves- in terrible circumstances was compelling and felt well handled

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Torture

reclusivebookslug's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

4.0

I enjoyed this sequel considerably more than the first book and I found it a much more unique and interesting retelling. It feels more woman-centered; the male characters don't overshadow the Trojan women. Seeing Briseis' role evolve with her changing circumstances was cool. Helenus was another interesting new character. I'm looking forward to the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Animal cruelty

Triggers are all similar to that of the first book.

historychatter's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

mylou's review against another edition

emotional sad

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Fatphobia and Suicide

matthiasreads's review against another edition

dark reflective

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and War