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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the Appalachian mountains in this book. The writing is also very captivating and I enjoyed that a lot too. Bennie and Motheater are also interesting and believable characters and I was rooting for them. I wanted Bennie to get some justice or at least closure for the death of her best friend Kelly Anne, and I wanted Motheater/Esther to succeed in protecting the mountains from the effects of mining. However the book began to seem repetitive and that lessened my enjoyment of the writing. I also felt annoyed at having to read so much scripture despite the fact that Motheater uses it for her spells. Also I just don't get how Bennie and Motheater could love each other romantically after only interacting for about a week. Anyway this is still a well-written book and I am willing to read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Self harm
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
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
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
adventurous
dark
informative
slow-paced
I really enjoyed Motheater, more than I expected, honestly. That said, there were some parts of the story I wasn’t crazy about. I actually found the book a little intimidating at first and wasn’t sure I’d like it. It’s interesting because I haven’t heard many people talk about it, which I think added to my thoughts of not liking it. The uniqueness of the storyline though definitely bumped up my rating.
I loved the dual perspective, especially getting to see an Appalachian witch practicing after the Civil War during the Industrial Revolution and the coal mining boom. It was a really cool way to show the history of the mines and then bring it back to the present day to highlight how the mountains are still suffering. The romance didn’t feel necessary to me. It was such a small part of the story, I’m not even sure why it was included.
I absolutely loved Esther. When I think of an Appalachian witch, her voice, the way she spoke, and how her practice was so tied to the earth and the Bible felt really authentic.
I’d recommend this book, especially if you already own it and aren’t sure about reading it. If you’re after a strong romance, this probably isn’t the one since that’s not the focus. But if you want to learn about Appalachian history through coal mining and explore the witch culture of the region from both a historical and modern fictional perspective, this is definitely worth a read.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
tense
I had the misfortune of starting this incredible book at the beginning of a reading slump. It was truly fantastic—a 150 year old Appalachian witch is re-awakened to protect the mountain she's sworn to from mining interests and finds herself entangled with a queer love interest? Yes, please! Like, this was so good, but I just read it at the wrong time. Readers would also enjoy "Feast While You Can" by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta and "Revelator" by Daryl Gregory. Probably also "Dead Girls Don't Dream" by Nino Cipri
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was honestly too long, and the choices one of the main characters consistently made were baffling