Reviews with content warning for Suicide - The Awakening

I had to read the book for my American literature class at university. I was not expecting much since the genre of the novel is not something I usually read but I found myself quite enjoying it mainly because I found the central problem of the book relatable. The Awakening was for me a story about the universal female experience and while, of course, this could mean different things to everyone, the perspective the novel provides is interesting to see.

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maggiegirouard's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Overall I liked the book, it was very interesting from a feminist literary perspective. I personally did not like the main character edna, at least after finishing the book and sitting on it for a day. I thought she was rash, oblivious, and ignorant. She thought she was freeing herself at the end, but

her death was not freeing, she could have gone on living a life she wanted to and achieving things, she could have taught her children and other people what she learned, and most of all, she is perpetuating the cycle she grew up in, without a mother, by leaving her children motherless.

I admire Adele and I think edna took much of her advice the wrong way. I think Adele was a feminist in her own way, and that Edna did not and could not see that. To me Edna is not this enlightened feminist who finds herself, she is a troubled woman who does not know where she is in her life and does not know where she would like to go. She seems to appreciate the things she has and the things she has learned about herself, but she lets it all go at the end very suddenly. I think I would need to read the novel again to understand Edna and her actions.

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booksanna's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Edit: changed my mind from 5->4.5
This book is very exciting and peaceful at the same time. There’s a lot of emotions involved and you experience Edna’s journey along with her. Excitement, sadness, isolation, confusion, peace, happiness, passion, desire and at last numbness. The journey from Edna’s awakening to her

Alleged death

Is so eventful and immersing. Even though the book was written in the 1900s, It is so clear to understand the message of bodily autonomy. Kate Chopin wrote a controvercial story, indeed, it had a great meaning.
The characters of the story are portrayed, so realisticly that I forgot the story was real. Personally, I loved Mademoiazelle Reisz and her beautifl music and sarcastic comments. She trulay was a person with a soul the size of a whale. Adelle was truly wonderful, and I loved that Edna her were friends. Even though they are complete opposites, their love for each other is stronger than death. Leonce, Robert, and Alcee were all interesting LIs, obviously they truly helped our Edna’s journey.

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rhythmofryn's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

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

1.0

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fatima_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-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? Yes

3.0

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actuallythesun's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

THE ultimate middle finger to 1899 society. When she has her hands tied in the oppressive, misogynistic society; when she can't perform womanhood like everyone around her seems to; when the only option open to her other than what seems like utter servitude is the dumbest sh*t imaginable, Edna can do nothing but resist. In this way we are more alike than unalike.

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