Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

23 reviews

sav_22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Oddly, I did not feel as strongly for this as I did the show adaptation. I feel like it wasn’t as easy to connect to the story as much. Pacing was quick and it left you feeling hollow and sad; this was likely the point, but it didn’t really have any development other than world-building. this has a nihilistic perspective, which can be more impactful for the message depending on how you go into it.

Spoiler

the show covers this entirely in just season 1, except a few passages here and there. The show explores this concept far more deeply and gives Offred more depth and personhood. Her real name is never mentioned in the book, as the show takes many creative liberties to explore the concept more.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Blood, Body shaming, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Moderate: Abortion, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Infertility, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Self harm, Abandonment, and Ableism

megb64's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense fast-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Rape, and Sexual content

annelisedreyer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Terrifying yet captivating. A must read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Classism, Homophobia, Rape, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Infertility, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Miscarriage, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

giulianalb99's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

Al principio me pareció un poco aburrido y me ha costado leerlo. Está bien, pero esperaba más. Todavía no he visto la serie y tengo muchas ganas pero creo que esperaré a leerme el segundo libro. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Infertility, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Racism, Miscarriage, Islamophobia, Body shaming, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Death, Confinement, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Sexual harassment, Antisemitism, Abortion, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol

jneverland's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexism, Body horror, Blood, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Rape, Abandonment, Ableism, Infertility, Violence, War, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Deportation, Death, Racism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Genocide, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Gore, Medical content, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Trafficking, and Suicide

elenayasmin's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Beautifully written with incredible world-building, Margaret Atwood combines her understanding of successful totalitarian regimes with her explosive imagination, making The Handmaid's Tale a believable future for patriarchal societies. I would however liked to have seen the experiences of minority races in the Gilead period, and although this was mentioned in a couple of sentences, this seemed insufficient considering the huge population of ethnic minorities in USA. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this book and found it hard to put down.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, Body shaming, Sexism, Violence, Pregnancy, Classism, and Misogyny

joan_zyaire's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Miscarriage

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Infertility, Death, Body shaming, and Infidelity

gswagatron'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

literally fell over and died this has to be top 5 ever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Abortion, Confinement, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Rape, Sexism, War, Genocide, Infertility, Murder, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault

carmentxx's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.75

this is a near perfect book for me. it’s just so, so sad. there’s too much to say, but it’s a must read for everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Body shaming, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, Child abuse, Violence, Trafficking, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Torture, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Deportation, Mental illness, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: War, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Racism, and Antisemitism