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thejellybeany's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The book consists of parts alternating between her retelling of her family history, upbringing, and married life, and chapters of 'The Blind Assassin', a beautiful and moving novel of love and longing between a married woman and a communist rebel on the run, and one with a huge cult following, written by Iris' late younger sister, Laura, who drove off a bridge to her death before it was even published. To say much more about the plot would not truly do it justice, but it is ultimately a story of two sisters, and the deep regret Iris feels around not having looked out for Laura, as she had long ago promised her mother and father she would.
With intelligent writing and eloquent prose, we learn about this woman who is finally claiming the narrative of her life for her own, unfortunately knowing all too well that it has come 60 years too late for all of the characters in it. Similar in many ways to the novel that appears alongside it, Iris' is a story of love, loss, and longing, and a reminder that the ghosts of the dead are powerful, but we must be more so.
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Forced institutionalization
emmonsannae's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Classism
courtneyreadsometimes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, and War
machenn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War
yooniereads's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
It takes a lot for me to feel the emotions an author intends with their work (part of the reason why I didn't cry over A Little Life), but the sense of languishing, regret, nostalgia, and exhaustion felt quite real in this one. The only reason I won't be giving it five stars is because it dragged on for quite a bit. But other than that, it's the kind of novel I'll be thinking about for some time.
Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Car accident
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Gaslighting, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Sexual assault
laurenw's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Rape, Antisemitism, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
orlagal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War
readerette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It's not a happy tale, which has been my experience with Atwood's other works. There is a great deal of depth in each character, and many different ways that depth is achieved. The level of unhappiness feels true to life--believable, if a bit fatiguing as a reader. There are laugh-out-loud funny moments mixed in with commentary on the meaning of life and wisdom of the choices we make. No character is perfect or overly trope-y.
The pacing was too slow for my taste, and there was too much content that didn't feel like it added anything except length. I believe others might see that as the way the narrator thinks or different characters engage in the world of the narrator, but for me, the excess was just dull.
Overall, I do recommend for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, slow burn mysteries, or reflective characters.
Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Cultural appropriation