Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker

50 reviews

sasmith_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

Was trying really hard to finish, but finally decided to give up at the fat shaming of Maire.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

booktalker's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

1.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

karenclare's review

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad slow-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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

caelfind's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Because isn’t that, ultimately, the way we cope with grief? There’s nothing sophisticated or civilised about it. Like savages, we ingest our dead.”

This was an exquisite story of the complexities of war, freedom, and womanhood, set amidst the immediate aftermath of the Fall of Troy. Barker crafts a harrowing, raw tale, never flinching from the realities of ancient warfare, and offering us fresh, nuanced depictions of well-known characters. Her characterisation is the shining star of this book; the characters’ deeply complex, and sometimes contradictory, personalities perfectly mirror the horrific war they grapple with. The Greeks must find a way to return home and face the violence they wrought, while the women wait to meet their uncertain futures. And all the while, the countless dead seem to hover in the corner of every hut, watching with judgemental eyes. This was a truly masterful work and I can’t wait to pick up the third book. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lauramay_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

theothergrl's review against another edition

Go to review page

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.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

historychatter's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

chilivanilli28's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional 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

3.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

matthiasreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

cattheteawitchfairy's review against another edition

Go to review page

reflective 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

2.0

This book was fine but a rather dull conclusion to the story it told. Very little happened in the way of plot and much of the text was told through dialogue rather than anything else which got repetitive. It was ok but certainly not very high up on my list.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings