Reviews with content warning for Genocide - The Mercies

Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

11 reviews

jordanbolker's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

This book definitely got better throughout. But I admitted that the language that the book is written is a little difficult to comprehend. But loved all the longing and slow burn that occurs between Maren and Ursa and felt happy when they had that one night together. It was a good story and historice fiction novel and I appreciated the historical note at the end to summarize everything.

Content Warnings

ruthmoog's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging reflective sad slow-paced

3.25

This kicks off right away with a racial slur that's continued throughout the book... the historical note at the end really hits hard because the racial element is a side note to the stories of the women in the book, and it's just harrowing tbh. And the Samí are still being sidelined by Norway today.

Having said that, all the action happens in the last few chapters. After the storm at the beginning - the very interesting premise! - it plods slowly through the life of a timid protagonist... Over half way through the book I felt like nothing had happened.

But given that it's based on actual events in Vardø ther 's only so much you can do to stay true to the story of a village devastated by a storm.

edit: after reading other reviews I would note, I had no idea this was based on true events or about witch trials when I started, I only knew about the storm leaving a village of women be ind

Content Warnings

mxawprince's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No

5.0

Content Warnings

starryforest's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.75

??
i didn’t like the ending, but it was realistic and dramatic

Content Warnings

hiraeth_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

paniquemecanique's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I would have rated it a 4 right after reading it but I just keep coming back to it in my mind. It was long and a bit hard to finish (shout out to my short attention span girlies) but it was a wild and beautiful ride.
This is a historical book based off real facts that takes place in Lapland in the 1800's, about the big european witch hunt, the colonization of the indigenous Sami people, and about a matriarchy. The characters are deep and nuanced and beautiful, and the whole story forces you to be fully there with them in every moment.
KMH is a divine autress who writes so intensely and beautifully, it is very hard not to be haunted by the book (I am writing this months after finishing it and I cant forget the most thrilling parts ).
Absolutely recommended, but be very mindful of the TW. It is a hard and truthful story.

Content Warnings