ktbeepboop's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Rape
maddalynmoon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Alcohol, Confinement, Body shaming, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Body horror, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Trafficking
kayleigh214's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Pedophilia, Murder, Slavery, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Hate crime, Gun violence, Genocide, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Child abuse, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
greenmind's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I liked the premise, the structure and the prose style itself. But I'm not necessarily sure that a matriarchy would behave like this so I struggled a bit with the idea - it's a book inside a book though, so maybe it works better in that regard - it's written by a fictional man, so maybe his idea of a matriarchy can only be considered from a patriarchal fantasy? Or maybe it really is that hard to imagine a true matriarchy which could function differently than what we ourselves know after thousands of years... It made me think about the ideas brought up in here a lot though, so I think it's successful speculative fiction, in that sense. Personally, I found it lacking believability at times and it also grossed me out in a way which surprises me because I've read a lot of disgusting writing which hasn't caused that reaction. I'm just not overly convinced women would gang-rape, slave-own and murder men and children for fun in the way that men seem to do so now in warzones. I think the power would be wielded differently, and we can see how in the handful of matriarchal cultures around today or documented. Mothers still love and protect their sons, but the boys are socialised very differently and the older men behave differently within that... but I'm still unsure what I make of all of this. The "end notes" chapter from the female writer to the "male writer" character of the fictional book we've just read say much of the sorts of thing which run through my mind... but I'm unconvinced still, even though I feel made fun of by the author for that in a way. I still think the fact men don't get pregnant and give life makes them more likely to want to control women as a resource for reproduction all the more - and you can see that trend with the push towards normalising surrogacy and artificial womb science, in their interfering superstition in female healthcare, the power structures and beliefs of all major religions. The power isn't so literal as a jolt of physical electricity, but more the creator power which woman demonstrate when they grow new humans. Men are very uncomfortable with women controlling their own reproductions, as this would control all reproduction globally. One could argue that the effort to cut women from motherhood through tech and brothel-market capitalism hints at where essential power really lies, but the story has no space for mothers and babies here. It is certainly all very thought-provoking. The Father and The Son makes less sense to me than The Mother and Her Children in terms of creation myths, but... that's patriarchy for you.
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Genocide, Grief, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, War, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
nikitagroot's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Classism, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gun violence, Murder, and Blood
Minor: Slavery, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Drug use, and Kidnapping
jojopotato's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really enjoyed the four main characters and following their story from chapter to chapter. Alderman is truly an incredible story teller and this book completely pulled me in and captured my attention. I could not stop telling people about how it made me think and reflect and almost see the world a bit differently.
Graphic: War, Gore, Body horror, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
Spoiler
Look I put a lot of content warnings on here, but this is a book about the shifting of power and what it would look like if women became more powerful than men. It essentially leads to world war and talks about the importance of understanding how power and money and violence lead to destruction. No matter who is holding that power.jasbah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Torture, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Drug use, Medical trauma, Blood, and Gore
Minor: Trafficking and Child death
saara_ilona_muu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Torture, and War
innerweststreetlibrarian's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I really needed the first half of this book after the grinding misogyny of the last one I read, but oof it got really hard to keep going once I was about halfway through. Definitely needed more contemplation time between chapters to process what was going on. And that was quite a LOT. Very, deeply thought provoking, and a tad horrifying. Basically excellent.
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Drug use, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Torture, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Hate crime, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Trafficking, and Gun violence
Minor: Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War
paukinra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Medical content, Drug use, Child abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Grief, Death, War, Police brutality, Hate crime, Gore, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, and Antisemitism