Reviews with content warning for Violence - Conjure Women

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora

33 reviews

sneema's review against another edition

emotional informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I mean.... a book about hoodoo, plant medicine, black midwifery traditions, and community dynamics under devastating circumstances??? Yeah this was for me!!!!!

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talesoffay's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

'Conjure Woman' is set on a Southern plantation during the Civil War. The story follows Rue and her mother Miss May Belle who are considered healing women.

It took me a while to get in to the writing style, and I wasn't quit sure on the direction of the story at first. But the "hazy quality" of the writing style was intentional and I think overall it added to the narrative of a young girl trying to make sense of the world she is being protected from. It is well researched but it doesn't lack feeling. The ways of life are shown in the relationships and events experienced by the characters and the southern setting you are immersed in. With complex characters and themes, I think this would be perfect for a book club.

This is historical fiction, however, I have seen it fall in to the fantasy genre because of the depictions of magic. There are elements of magical realism but this is more focused around belief and suspicion. Afia has described this as an "allegorical Southern Gothic tale."

"Just as easy as folks' praise came, it could turn to hating. Magic and faith were fickle. Life and living were fickle."

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mvrcellv's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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foreverinastory's review against another edition

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challenging emotional slow-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

Rep: Black female MC, Black/biracial male love interest, Black and biracial supporting cast.

CWs: Abortion, alcohol consumption, alcoholism, blood, death/death of parent, domestic abuse, fire, infidelity, injury/injury detail, medical content, miscarriage/stillbirth, misogyny, murder, pregnancy, racial slurs, racism, rape, consensual sexual content, slavery, violence, war. Moderate: gore, torture, lynching.

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laurareads87's review

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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