Reviews tagging 'Outing'

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

30 reviews

craftysnailtail's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

I could see a certain type of person really loving this book, but it absolutely wasn't for me. The neverending tragic backstory reveals felt incredibly tropey. Show me a woman in this novel and she will be "strong" because she survived so much abuse. Everything in this book was traumatic, depressing, and often ended poorly for all the women involved. I understand the fight against injustice, but it felt too heavy handed for me. 

3.5 stars because the plot was interesting (though far too drawn out), and I enjoyed how magical knowledge is passed down through generations. I even liked the sisters themselves. But for a book with witches and lesbians, I thought I would've enjoyed it much more than I did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Sexism, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

Moderate: Outing, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, Alcoholism, Grief, Sexual assault, Murder, Transphobia, Racism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Classism, Abandonment, Abortion, and Addiction

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

kennim's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Pros:

• Gorgeous writing
• The sisters' relationship and their reconciliation and growth
• The magic system
• The setting
• The villain
• The ending
• Bella was my favorite but I loved all the sisters
• The examination of different kinds of feminism and forms of protest and the consequences of them
• Everything was perfect this was my perfect book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Outing, Police brutality, Misogyny, and Death

Moderate: Homophobia

spineofthesaurus's review

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Torture, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Self harm, Stalking, Violence, Medical trauma, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Outing

Moderate: Ableism, Abortion, Alcoholism, Genocide, Murder, Excrement, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual assault, Racism, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Police brutality, Animal death, and Hate crime

Minor: Xenophobia, Alcohol, Slavery, Deadnaming, Classism, and Colonisation

l_e_lavalle's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Pregnancy, Medical content, Abortion, Blood, Death, and Suicide

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Body horror, Grief, and Outing

Minor: Child death and Kidnapping

third_bookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

This was a delight! From the description I expected a particular brand of white feminism, but I was pleasantly surprised by the politics. This book manages an interesting and delicate balance of personal and political. The characters are wonderfully complex while still being sympathetic. The focus on the relationship between the sisters was sweet and enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Torture, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Alcoholism

Minor: Classism, Outing, and Slavery

lolajh's review against another edition

The beginning was really phenomenal and was really beginning to get me out of my reading slump. I was just in LOVE with the writing style and the worldbuilding of it. It made it so impeccably easy to read and slowly become immersed in the world. But then it slowed down quite a lot, and the plot isn’t quite interesting enough for me to continue.

I don’t like the whole outing thing Agnes did to Beatrice, and the whole fighting between them.

June was kind of the only sister who really intrigued me (my aroace queen!) and yeah, I can’t see this plot developing into anything more interesting. Very unfortunate after that strong opening 😫 Also, I don’t care if it’s accurate to the time period, but Beatrice referring to Cleo

(who’s meant to be her love interest btw)

as coloured feels wrong

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Abortion, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy

Minor: Outing

shelbea's review

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Death

Minor: Outing, Abortion, and Alcoholism

sparklefarm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

There once were three sisters...

Rollicking, wild, and fierce. I loved this. I might read it again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Abortion and Domestic abuse

Minor: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Outing, Transphobia, and Animal cruelty

breadwitchery's review

adventurous 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: Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Sexism, and Torture

Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Outing, and Abortion

Minor: Transphobia, Alcohol, and Animal death