Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

25 reviews

lydiawilson's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

5.0

guys. i am so. Wow. This was 5 stars for me. Theres nothing I love more than a Greek Myth retelling and this DELIVERED. I was thinking about this book constantly during the 2 months it was on my currently reading. 
Some things that stayed in my head rent free:

• the joys of being in the company of other women
• The imperfect sisterly relationship between Ariadne and Phaedra
• The power of a Mother's love for her child with Pasiphae and the Minotaur
• Contrasting different experiences of motherhood with Ariadne being fulfilled and enriched by it and Phaedra struggling with it (hello postpartum depression)
• The question of "What is a righteous man?" being a centering theme. And seeing different examples and failures in Daedalus, Minos, Theseus, Dionysus, Hippolytus, and Perseus. Literally oy, I could write a 20 page essay just centering on this.
• Dionysus talking about why the gods can't love OH MY GOSH!! and!! THE FOLLOW UP TO THAT SPEECH AT THE END HAD ME CRYING ON THE FLOOR.

Anyway. the men in the book are just, a huge disappointment (duh, it's greek myth) (but also Daedalus is excluded from this, he's a perfect angel). BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, it provides suuuuuuuuch a rich meditation on what really makes a good man. I went into this story actually not knowing the myth surrounding Ariadne at all but was so pleased with the way the story unfolded. Just so very my cup of tea. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape and Domestic abuse

nialiversuch's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, Gore, Grief, Toxic relationship, War, Child death, Confinement, and Domestic abuse

margaret_k30's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment

nick13's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-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? Yes

3.0

I had heard several good things about this book so when I decided to read it, I was quite excited. However, I was left quite disappointed as, even for such a short book, it seemed to drag on and on at times about myths that barely pertained to the story and the ending, to me, felt a little lack luster. Overall, it was an okay read with really amazing moments in it but everything between those moments just make my attention wonder elsewhere.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, Gore, Death, Domestic abuse, War, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Genocide, Gaslighting, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Rape and Pregnancy

Minor: Child death

tashtasher's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad tense 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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Classism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, and Misogyny

maddiebusick's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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: Gaslighting, Grief, Animal death, Gore, Murder, Violence, Misogyny, Abandonment, Blood, and Suicide

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, War, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, and Incest

aliciamarvinetz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Grief, Animal death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Violence, Death, Sexism, Gore, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Incest, and Physical abuse

little_lida's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Grief

dummehure's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

This book means a lot to me. Retelling ancient stories from the women's perspective is such a heartbreaking and important task and I am thankful for all the different authors that have made it they're quest to show the world how terribly mistreated women have been for centuries. 
As an afab person I feel and understand the struggles that Ariadne and Phaedra face to a certain extent and it makes this book a very painful and heartbreaking read. 
I felt like the pacing was a little slow at times but I had a really good time reading this and especially the ending solidified that feeling. 
Generally I book that I would recommend to any lovers of ancient greek mythology.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Sexism, Mental illness, Death of parent, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Animal death, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual content

clarissajs's review against another edition

dark emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Alcohol, Sexism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Animal death, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, War, Rape, and Sexual assault