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witcheep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Niceness is about what we do when other people are looking. Kindness, on the other hand, runs deep. Kindness is what happens when no one's looking."
The main character Mika Moon is a witch who lives in a world that has forced her to hide her witch identity and live in solitude. Being a witch is belonging in a considerable and secretive minority of the British population. Her being of a minor ethnicity has brought its own hardships to her life as well. She has been exploited in her past by many people she trusted and cared about:
"Because the way I see it, to be a witch is to be exploited when it's convenient and turned against when it isn't. I'd love to be just Mika, but the rest of the world has yet to give me that privilege."
This has lead Mika to not allow herself to love anyone or get attached in order to protect herself from rejection, hurt and other uncomfortable experiences. She tries to make herself likeable by putting on an easygoing and sunshiney facade, masking her true self behind the expected behaviors and appearances. However, deep down she craves for a place to call home, people to love; a sense of connection and belonging by being accepted just the way she is.
“It sounds like you've been alone for a long time."
"Oh, I'm used to that," Mika said, her voice just a little too bright. "That's the way it is."
"Not here, it's not," was all she got in reply.
At the Nowhere House Mika meets an unlikely and warm group of people, who slowly get behind her walls. While living there, Mika begins to process her past trauma. The three young witches of Nowhere House and especially a certain scowling grumpy librarian, Jamie Kelly, bring out new sides of Mika and make her think of whole new possibilities for her future and the future of witches. Tropes:
The representation of different aspects of identity (ethnicity, sexual orientation, occupational…) is vast, and done very respectfully in the book. The multitude of identities is represented as something normal and beautiful, but the ugly parts aren’t brushed under the rug: the book addresses that there are injustice and hardships in the society for the different minorities. The outlook on life is hopeful, though, and the main characters aim to create a safe space for each other and at larger scale for the minorities and everyone supporting them.
"Who said anything about transforming the world?" He shrugged. "What about just making it a little better? And then a little better? And then a little more, until, one day, maybe long after we're gone, it has transformed?"
The overall tone of the book is quite lighthearted even though the themes of the book are profound, such as ontological and moral dilemmas; philosophical pondering over what people live for and what kind of choices are the right ones to make. Mandanna manages the light tone by wrapping the deep and philosophical themes in coziness. These heaver topics offer just the right amount of angst and agony to the plot, but the sense of togetherness is strong in the Nowhere House’s household. The stakes aren’t too high all the time, but the characters need to take some big personal leaps of faith if they want to try to change their current circumstances. There are many laugh-out-loud fun, swoonworthy, and even agonizing moments to devour in the book, and I couldn’t put the book down before the end. Between the pages of the book I found a feeling of home that would welcome anyone in need of a breather from the turmoils of life with open arms; maybe the family in that home can't shelter you from those turmpoils, but they can take your hand and help you face them.
"Home is worth finding," he said quietly. "Even if it takes a while."
Review written 16.3.2024
Minor: Death of parent, Racism, Homophobia, and Classism
dancing_dryad_85's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Death
Minor: Cursing, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Hate crime
gnukiwi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Physical abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Cursing
Minor: Murder and Racism
lunep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, Cursing, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Grief, Murder, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Misogyny, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Abandonment, and Classism
amy_reading_23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Minor: Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Death, Racism, and Domestic abuse
brigid_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment and Classism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Death
Minor: Homophobia and Murder
chrisljm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Confinement, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Racism, Classism, and Murder
imds's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Abandonment
Minor: Racism and Classism
brontesauruses's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse
Minor: Homophobia, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racism, Classism, Alcohol, and Xenophobia
thecatconstellation's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent and Bullying
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Abandonment, and Sexual content
Minor: Classism, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, and Racism