Reviews tagging 'Infertility'

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

22 reviews

penguingin's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Violence, Infertility, and Misogyny

aeglaeca's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I didn't expect this book to end the way it did, but I'm very happy that it did. Well worth the read, but be warned that it's difficult to read at times (content, not prose, although the prose is very antiquated as tbe book is set in the 1660s). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Infertility and Miscarriage

blueyogi's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Racial slurs, Murder, Racism, and Infertility

Minor: Child abuse, Pregnancy, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Miscarriage, Infidelity, and Sexual assault

maecave15's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Violence, Chronic illness, Rape, and Miscarriage

glitchkitsch's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexism, Infertility, Racism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Rape

Moderate: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Death, and Alcoholism

Minor: Toxic friendship, Abortion, Animal death, and Acephobia/Arophobia

Triggering content is period typical. It's historical fiction taking place in colonial New England, if you aren't prepared for sexism, racism, and a theocratic society, maybe skip this novel. The ending has

a satisfying payoff for the main character, though.

stephaniezd's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

What a masterpiece!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Infertility, and Colonisation

Moderate: Miscarriage and Death

deirdrelk's review

sad slow-paced

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

2.0

I really wanted to like this book but the plot just wasn’t there. It was just pages and pages of abuse wrapped up in historical fiction, with almost no mystery to the plot. The only thing that kept me from giving it one star was the ending. I am confused where all the positive reviews are coming from.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Infertility, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Racial slurs, Bullying, Death of parent, and Miscarriage

hollidemyan1's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

Minor: Miscarriage and Toxic friendship

sjanke2's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence

themomwithabook's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Review of Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian: 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 

 

Boston, 1662.  Mary Deerfield is 24-years old and the second wife of Thomas Deerfield.  Thomas’ late wife unexpectedly died from a horse accident.  When Mary and Thomas wed, she had no idea of his rage, nor the extent of his power.  Often drunk, one night Thomas takes a fork and stabs it through the back of Mary’s hand.  Knowing that if she continues to live with Thomas and may end up like his late wife, Mary petitions for a divorce.  But in a time where men treat women as property and condescendingly; and a time where everyone fears possession of the devil - Mary ends up having to defend herself from accusations of being a witch.  Hour of the Witch is a tale of survival.  It’s a witch hunt in the truest sense but Mary has to find a way not only to end her marriage, but to avoid the gallows as well. 

 

This historical fiction novel paints a vivid picture of what life was likely like during the time of the Salem Witch Trials.  I mean - it’s patriarchy at its finest.  White men who hold all the power, authority, social privilege, and influence; and the women who hardly have any rights, let alone a voice.  While the story starts off a little slow, it picks up with this ominous tension that remains throughout the entire book.  The cruelty described and the unfairness of it all was so frustrating.  I can’t imagine having lived in that time with all the injustices and repression women faced.  And yet for some reason, something about the era of the Salem Witch Trials has always fascinated me.  Bohjalian is a wonderful storyteller in that he finds ways to teach readers about a time period while also pulling them into a new world.  Hour of the Witch does just that.  It’s captivating and descriptive.  Bohjalian brought to life a period in time where rumors and accusations were absurdly believed and something seemingly innocuous quickly appeared duplicitous and worthy of standing trial. 

 

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Domestic abuse; Infertility

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Infertility