Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Conjure Women

Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora

20 reviews

isleofwoman's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

beehan__'s review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional tense

5.0

Content Warnings

thenovelmaura's review against another edition

Go to review page

Maybe it's because I was listening to this as an audiobook, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it. It dragged so much; I actually kept thinking I had to be halfway through the book by now, then whenever I looked at my phone it was 20%. I understand that Rue felt a responsibility to the people on the former plantation, but it was too painful to keep listening when it was clear that something horrible was going to happen to her due to their distrust of her magic and baby Bean. If the shoe had dropped sooner, maybe I would still be listening? The setting and writing were lovely and it was clear that a lot of research had gone into this book; it just wasn't for me.

Content Warnings

wellreadjill_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.75

Content Warnings

laurareads87's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Deeply moving and beautifully written, Conjure Women follows Rue, a young woman who, following in her mother's footsteps, grows up to be a healer and conjurer. The story takes place on a plantation and alternates chapter to chapter between just prior to the Civil War ('Slaverytime') and just after ('Freedomtime'); the focus is on Rue, her mother May Belle, and their relationships with other (formerly) enslaved people as well as with the plantation owner's daughter. I love so much about this book: Atakora's writing is evocative, the setting is very clearly established, the characters are complex and well-developed, and the relationship dynamics are compelling. Atakora describes the historical research she conducted for this book in the afterword, and it really shows in the novel itself in the best possible way. Conjure Women is an incredible novel and I cannot wait to read more from Afia Atakora.
<i>Content warnings:</i> this novel is set during and just after slavery in the American South and, as such, depicts the horrors of slavery: murder, violence, lynching, rape, torture, death of children, miscarriage, racism, misogyny, forcible confinement, medical violence

Content Warnings

nilanthi's review

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

leah_alexandra's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional mysterious sad

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

I thought this story was told beautifully and was really well-executed. I liked how the bulk of the story takes place in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War. It was really interesting to see how much changed for these people, but still how much was the same.

Content Warnings