Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

69 reviews

calicat42's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Self harm, and Suicide

mjverrall's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• 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

This book has such wonderful prose, the language feels like poetry it is so beautiful to read. The start feels a little slow and sometimes it is hard to keep track of all the characters, but it picks up and is a truly beautiful story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Physical abuse and Violence

Minor: Abortion and Sexual violence

jnl0's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Excrement, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Abandonment, Blood, Classism, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion, Racism, and Sexual harassment

jgalla's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Racism, Blood, Sexism, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Murder, Police brutality, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Child abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Classism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

issamay's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Torture, Misogyny, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Abortion, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Animal cruelty

witcheep's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• 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

This is a book with a lot to say on heavy topics of equality and human rights, from the point of view of the many oppressed groups of people: women, workers, people of color, LGBTQIA+ people – and witches. The representation of different identities is in this book is woven into the story respectfully. The Once and Future Witches presents a past where the rich white men rule the world and don't want to share that power with anyone. So they have made it illegal and therefore almost impossible for anyone to have power that could diminish their own.

 "Seems to me they're the same thing, more or less."
     "What are?"
     Juniper's eyes reflect the bronze shine of Saint George's standing in the square. "Witching and women's rights. Suffrage and spells. They're both..." She gestures in midair again. "They're both a kind of power, aren't they? The kind we aren't allowed to have." The kind I want, says the hungry shine of her eyes. 

The book shows the ugly reality of seemingly hopeless situations for anyone oppressed, but brightens it with the hidden hope that friends and fellowshp can bring into the picture. The main message of the book seems to be that surrounding oneself with loved ones, as well as relying on and caring for each other, is the best thing life has to offer to anyone. When your motives for action change from personal revenge to love for others, you have found true power. For power of the many is always stronger than even the power of the most powerful one alone, and the power of many is what is able to begin a change for the better, for more equal opportunities for all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Homophobia, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Torture

Minor: Sexual harassment and Outing

abicaro17's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

This may be the best book i've ever read. I laughed, I cried, I felt seen. This book is what it's like to be a woman. Anything you do is demonized but when a man does it he's praised. Alix E. Harrow writes about how "behind every witch is a woman wrong." (445) and creates beautifully complex characters like Agnes that show a true beauty and a true darkness in femininity. Juniper is a feral, selfish, and damaged girl but

her final act is to do something so selfless it saves all future witches. She bears the burden so that the future of her niece and all other mothers and daughters won't have to.

I could spend hours describing my love and adoration for this book. The emotional and storied complexity for even minor characters like Jennie and Mr. Blackwell are so outstanding and enriching. I think Harrow needs all the awards and I'm devastated i'll never be able to read this book for the first time again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Transphobia, Racism, Police brutality, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Gore, Gaslighting, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Suicide, Misogyny, and Homophobia

felofhe's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Ableism, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Death, Murder, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Sexism, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Racism, and Abandonment

woodsofthebooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• 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

i’d give this book 17 billion stars if i could. i don’t think this book will ever truly leave my thoughts, and it will certainly never leave my heart. every twist and turn, every lost girl and foolish hope will always be with me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, and Self harm

Moderate: Misogyny, Child abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, and Medical content

the author’s website also contains content warnings, so go check that out too. MAJOR content warning for pregnancy, abortion, childbirth

brttbwrs's review

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, and Racism