Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

376 reviews

alyssapusateri's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Confinement, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Blood, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Gun violence, Excrement, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War

readwithsarah's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Abortion

bethlevalley's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

4.0

It's objectively a great book, well-written and meaningful. However, I had a hard time actually reading it due to the subject matter and therefore found myself avoiding picking it up. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment

peachybee53's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

The Handmaid's Tale is surprisingly witty and blunt for its complex subject matter. I didn't feel particularly attached to any character, though I found Offred and Moira to be relatable at times. 

Slow but intriguing, it carefully balances monotony with memory, manipulation and soft rebellion. It tackles difficult topics such as misogyny, fertility, tyranny and religion in a way that makes this kind of dystopia feel eerily possible from our current reality. I appreciated the dark humour, the way that society was manipulated into Gilead law so easily, and the way the writing comforted you into feeling certain practices were normal when they were, in reality, extremely troubling.

I grew more hooked the further into the novel I read and believe the epilogue tied it all together in an extremely clever way. I'm looking forward to reading The Testaments.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body horror, Gore, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, and Suicide attempt

pillooww's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

tw: men

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

magimiel's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? No

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicide, Pregnancy, War, and Deportation

sestout's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Gore, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and War

lesejaguar's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Suicide and Sexual harassment

Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and War

alixbx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

To be edited when I can compose my thoughts.

This main character is a piece of work (derogatory) but the story’s major elements are so relevant all these decades after it’s first publication. I don’t know yet how to reconcile that I hate the main character so much and yet feel that this should be required reading.

Full thoughts to come in an edit, though.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

This book is explicit in every topic it addresses, and it is addressed through the mind of the main character who sexualizes everything, no matter how unnecessarily. It is often without warning, too, so you can’t even skip over it if you think it’s coming up. It’s also graphic in every other way, too.

brakebills42's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry