Scan barcode
bluestar_apologist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
honeygore's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol
mariecaat02's review against another edition
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, and Death of parent
killmoore_'s review
- 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
3.0
Good for her.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
asipofcozy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The one thing I would call out, is the pacing. It took well over 100 pages for the plot to pick up speed. There was a lot of information at the beginning that I just didn't care much about. It wasn't until around page 150 (well over half the book) where the plot really became intriguing and I flew through the last 100 pages. For such a short book and a stand-alone, the beginning could have done without a lot of unneeded information.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
hownoveljo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
solypoly's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Murder
dragonaion's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
----
Only two examples in the story are 100% accurate to the Native American/Indian folklore of the Pequot (which are referenced and are the local tribe the Puritan village takes place near)...
... and the rest appear to be a mix from other cultures around the world, including the Druidic faith...
... Greek...
... and Japanese.
Looking for references of Slewfoot as well, what pops up as a primary example is this book. So considering the harshness of the very real Puritan mindset and the reality of the world they were living in, having almost every page be wild fantasy was disappointing.
The botany was at least a little more accurate, but not by much; the Pequot tribe were in the Connecticut area, where the pawpaw tree and mountain ash (rowan) can actually grow together. The irony, however, is the pawpaw and rowan trees in folklore was used for protection against witches, so the folklore attached to the botany is also inaccurate.
As a practicing Wiccan, I also find the examples of witcraft and "magic" (arguably not magick at all) to be biased with a Christian lense, such as the year the story takes place in 1666 (666, a little stereotypical), the snake being used as a symbol of the temptor and a sexual metaphor (while also being Mother Earth) and flying on a broom, to the point of being fantastic "flights" of pure fantasy.
In all, a good spooky read, but I would not put any stock on it being an accurate story.
Edit: Review lowered from 4.0. I reviewed the artwork and realized the characters
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body horror, Cursing, Genocide, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
This is a heavy Christian-based novel, discussing the norms of the Puritan lifestyle, which include a lot of moments that would displease a feminist reader. There is also gore, blood work in witchcraft, horror, and other darker themes.kumquats87's review
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Racial slurs, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Slavery, Vomit, and Colonisation
erynlasbelin'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Vomit, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Colonisation