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queer_bookwyrm's review
- 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
The Once and Future Witches is the second by Alix E. Harrow that has me spellbound (pun intended). Harrow is so good at atmospheric settings and giving the magic just enough realness and familiarity that it's easy to get lost in.
We follow the Sisters Eastwood: James Juniper, the youngest and most wild sister who is aroace and disabled; Agnes Amaranth, the middle sister and the strong one; and Beatrice Belladonna, the eldest and wisest sister who is a lesbian librarian. Each of these characters is fleshed out so well and feel like whole people with many layers. We get a lot of themes on duality through the sisters, and subversion of fairy tales and witch stories. Juniper is the best. She is such a sassy badass and has enough will to bring the world to its knees. Their growth together and apart had me glued to the page. We also get a trans woman side character and black secondary character, Cleo, who I loved (and so did a certain librarian).
I loved the magic in this. Harrow uses fairy tales, children's songs and stories as the words for magic, all a woman then needs is the ways and the will. The reason for storing the knowledge of magic in this way was because men wouldn't think to look in children's books or a woman's sewing kit. Ultimately, this is a feminist witch retelling of the women's suffrage movement in the summer of 1893. It's angry and wronged women taking power in any small way they can. I loved the theme of perseverance and making a way where there is none. Harrow tells us any woman can be a witch if she is wronged and has the words, the will, and the way.
The villain was creepy af and kept you guessing, but in the end you almost feel bad for him (almost). We get a lot of references to the Maiden, Mother, Crone trope which is used throughout the story. I also just loved how simple the magic was. The characters really made this story worth it. And bless Mr. August Lee!
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexism, Child abuse, Violence, Torture, and Misogyny
Moderate: Transphobia, Racism, Death of parent, Self harm, Lesbophobia, Abortion, Animal cruelty, and Sexual harassment
haunted_jackalope's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Confinement, Cursing, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Pregnancy
Minor: Torture, Abortion, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
liligilsoul's review
- 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: Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, and Medical content
sparklefarm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Rollicking, wild, and fierce. I loved this. I might read it again.
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abortion and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Outing, Transphobia, and Animal cruelty
anastasiamakes'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
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Racism, Blood, Child abuse, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Police brutality
Minor: Slavery, Abortion, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia
sneakysnam's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Abortion, Child abuse, Misogyny, Colonisation, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death of parent, and Grief
immovabletype's review
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Sexism, Torture, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Abortion, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, and Murder
Minor: Transphobia
_teoeo'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
Please look at the trigger and content warnings before reading it, because it really was a lot sometimes.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Animal death, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Medical trauma, Sexism, and Suicide
Moderate: Torture, Transphobia, and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty, Slavery, and Animal death
gmalmquist's review
- 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: Physical abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, Racism, Misogyny, Abortion, and Animal cruelty
maregred's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Suicide, Misogyny, Police brutality, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Grief, and Racism
Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, Cursing, Animal death, Classism, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Transphobia, and Domestic abuse