Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Power by Naomi Alderman

34 reviews

nikitagroot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Trafficking, Cursing, Stalking, Sexism, Bullying, Genocide, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Toxic friendship, Torture, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Addiction, Death, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Blood, Misogyny, Physical abuse, War, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Vomit

jojopotato's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

5/5, 10/10, all the stars. An incredible deep dive into life and a world if women held power, with a little extra evolutionary help (I’ll leave it at that). A really interesting discussion about the focus of male or paternal figures in history/religion, and how we particularly glance over or don’t give as much relevance or importance to women or maternal figures in history/religion (e.g., Mary, Fatima, Gotami, Rebekah). Also really good discussion on what power is and how we as humans handle power and make decisions regardless of gender. 
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.

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Content Warnings

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.

kys831's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Torture, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Genocide

saara_ilona_muu's review against another edition

challenging tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Torture, and War

coastelle's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

The concept was really interesting but the ending left me with so many questions. Also some POVS were very boring. Definitely look up the trigger warnings before reading this

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, Drug use, Torture, Murder, Genocide, Hate crime, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: War, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking

neevechristine's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad fast-paced

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

4.0

A real thinker, beautifully written. Heart wrenching in parts

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Transphobia, Physical abuse, Murder, Gun violence, Grief, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Death, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexism

shea_proulx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Murder, Hate crime, Death, Body horror, War, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Medical content, Kidnapping, Drug use, Confinement, Sexism, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

charisw's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Hate crime, Stalking, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

bethanie_l's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-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

4.0

Wasn't sure about this one as I'm slightly apprehensive about the gender switch society concept. It can often be weaponized to say "see? You're just as bad as men so there's no point in feminism." This was not that. It felt more like... like pointing out that these things that are so horrific to see crop up are things that already happen to women in real life. And I can't deny that sometimes I long for men to understand what it's like to be afraid to go jogging at night, that you can't wear headphones because an attacker could sneak up, you can't wear your hair in a ponytail because they could use it to grab you, you can't run in secluded areas because they could abduct you in seconds. The first half is satisfying in this way, seeing women stand up for themselves and seeing men not feel in control anymore. It devolves into horror, but again nothing more than what already happens to women. Is that an excuse? Of course not. But it should be a wake up call to any men who read it. I wonder if they'll even understand that this book is a mirror, even though towards the end I feel like we're being bashed over the head with it. It made me cry deep sobs and I love it for that. 

Issues: very cishet view of gender and sexuality. There's no room for trans characters. One intersex character, but it doesn't go into the gender issues really. Felt like the

Spoiler

voice in Allie's head being Samuel from the Bible

was a very weird choice. And the graphic rape scenes were a bit much, even knowing the framing device of them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, Medical trauma, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, Blood, War, Misogyny, Trafficking, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Child death, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail