Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore

16 reviews

rachaelmaris's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

3.5

I really liked the prose. It was rich and evocative (there were a few anachronisms but they didn’t distract me too badly). For the most part, I liked the main character and how she was written, but overall it was a bit difficult to see the characters’ motivations. I would have liked more character development or maybe backstories. I also would have liked to challenge the question of witchcraft more deeply. Maybe through the lens of how it squares with Puritan thought of the day? Also, I was lead to believe the witches were more than friends…they weren’t. Several times they could have been too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Miscarriage

lostinthelibrary's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

2.0

This book was a disappointment for me. I find this period of history really interesting but the author did not manage to create a compelling story from it. The writing style was beautiful but bloated and I think that the impressive amount of research Blakemore compiled worked to her disadvantage as she tried to include too many of the real stories she had read and it all became a bit muddled. While I generally like a dark story this was just too grim and grimy and if I wasn't reading it for a book club I probably would have dnf'd.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Animal death, Death, Sexual harassment, and Confinement

Moderate: Excrement, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault

epellicci's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• 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

4.5

Blakemore has created a fantastically immersive story with The Manningtree Witches. The book is slow-paced and I felt it took a while for the story to get going, however Blakemore catches every little detail, and when the book does pick up the pace, I was grateful to the extent the writing had gone to at earlier stages to bring Manningtree and its characters to life. Full of personality, twists, and heartbreak, this book has brought to life in vibrant colour the history of a 1600's Essex and the feverous spirit of the witch trials and the misogyny, fear, and powerful men that fulled them. I was surprised at the moments of tender hope, and warmed by the strength and voice that embodies Blakemore's female characters.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Child abuse

Moderate: Violence, Child death, Gaslighting, and Murder

Minor: Slavery and Miscarriage

darcyjanea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Torture, Violence, Misogyny, and Miscarriage

Minor: Child death and Death

clea's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• 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? No

4.25

Beautifully rich, lyrical (but also quite dark) prose; the author's roots in poetry are obvious and help to create an immersive and captivating atmosphere of 17th century Britain. Due to this high level of writing and heavy use of "advanced" vocabulary, it was a little difficult for me to read. After a while, I had to take breaks from reading because my concentration eventually started decreasing (but this is mainly due to the fact, that English is not my first language) and this prevented me from really getting involved, engaged in the story. 
But it is still a fascinating story that reports the atrocity of witch hunts. The use of dark humor helped to alleviate the tension and allow the reader a brief but longed-for escape from the horrors of the characters' reality. Every character is multi-faceted and we get a profound understanding of their actions and motivations. They feel authentic and I think that A.K Blakemore did a really great job at narrating her story in such a human way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Child death, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, and Miscarriage

closelywatchedfilms's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Rape, Slavery, and Trafficking