Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

147 reviews

ye_li's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Torture, and Deportation

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Antisemitism

bookwitch's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-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? No

3.25

First time ever reading this classic, and without having seen the show beforehand. The way that Atwood explains that she created this story using examples of things that already exist, and have already happened in our (or other's) history, make this even more unnerving than originally thought. It is perfectly fine to point at this dystopian novel and say "we don't want things to ever get to this point." But unlike saying that about books like Divergent or The Hunger Games, The Handmaid's Tale doesn't make up laws or situations that have not existed before, instead, they show you exactly how things can unravel (realistically I might add) to this point, or a point that looks like this. That in turn, makes a story like this much more realistic, and something of true concern, especially looking at the political cesspool of late. 

The writing style, while by the end of the book makes more sense, was tough at times to keep up with. It was a bit broken up, and hard to piece together into a cohesive narrative. It was difficult to always be completely immersed in this world and this story, based on the way it was told, although, like I said, it makes more sense at the end. 

While books like this are incredibly unnerving and make me want to scream from the rooftops for people look and listen, and heade these warnings; this is not why I rated the book so low. Like I mentioned, the writing style of the story was hard for me to stay fully immersed in throughout the reading experience, and I personally despise open endings, so those are the reasons for my rating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Pregnancy

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

3.5

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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

charlottemarie17's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

isolated_matrix's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

katie0528's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I've never actually picked up this book until now, despite being an advid watcher of the TV show. The book follows "Offred" as she serves as a "Handmaid" in an alternate timeline. While some aspects of the book still really hit home in 2024, I think I was just expecting more. Offred's knowledge of the world around her is very limited, at least that she is willing to share in the story, and while that makes sense, I just wish we could see more of the world and the resistance or lack thereof. The fall of America is only briefly alluded to despite Offred living through it, and the epilogue set in the far future with mock historians discussing the book offers little additional clarity to the settings or characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Police brutality

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.

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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.

orange8's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Horrifyingly beautiful 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence

Moderate: Miscarriage and Suicide

Minor: Torture

gabbygarcia's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• 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

Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Torture, Vomit, and War

parent-child separation

anna_hak's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, and War

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Transphobia

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death