Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

29 reviews

sunsetcity's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

okays1331's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

Blood begets blood. 

This cult-like town feels terribly real. I could see and feel every detail. The men in power have absolute control over right and wrong, and women have no voice or protection except as an extension of the power of the men. They follow a rigid faith with their Prophet wielding ultimate authority. Sins as determined by the church are immediately met with violence from a slap to exile to burning alive. Everyone is kept in line not just from the fear and devotion to the Prophet and his Apostles but also from fear of the witches and the sin that await them in the woods. 

I don't read a lot of horror, but I am fairly certain fans of the genre will get everything they want from this book. The human horrors of poverty, cruelty, and helplessness to the curses of blood, madness, darkness, and slaughter. Emanuel is such a compelling protagonist because in the midst of it all, she is not purely on the side of virtue or sin. She believes in her faith, but she also carries a strong sense of right and wrong and when the church crosses the line, she knows she must act. Her bravery is not automatic and grows naturally instead from her strong convictions. 

Lots of TW: abuse, gore, rape, pedophilia, cult, body horror, confinement, indoctrination

Slight spoilers:

The most interesting part about the way this story was written was that the right side was not immediately apparent. Clearly the church abused its power to a huge degree, but the witches in the woods are not on the side of right. We see the author set up a choice between the two evils

seeming to force Emanuel to choose between the two of them only to have her instead choose a third option and fight against both the witches of the wood and the church's systems of oppression.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Gore, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Pedophilia

markedwithanm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, Gore, and Blood

readwithsuzanna's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, Self harm, Racism, and Rape

a_new_elisabeth's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

So many things I'd like to say. Most of them opinion based, which I don't typically share, but one I feel is important enough to mention.

This writer keeps brushing past any and all trauma. It happens, or you hear about it, then it never or almost never gets mentioned again. Your only friend gets raped at 13? How awful, but I have to talk with the rapist's son real quick. Let me abandon you in this hallway, byebye. And the next time I see this rapist? I don't even think once about the abuse my best friend suffered... I mean, what? Immanuelle is supposed to really care about the innocents, that's her entire motivation for everything, so I have to assume weird writing. Especially because this happens with all the tragedies. 

The plot for this book was really intriguing, so I'm open to giving this first time author a second chance, I can see her becoming better at her craft. Just, more on emotion on the page, please!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Homophobia, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

seanml's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? No

3.5

Prophet sucks, I don’t care how much of a status symbol it is: getting your forehead cut seems awful, I wonder if the Heathen Lands are just as cultish. Probably not. 7/10.

Highlights: Immanuelle, the plagues, WITCHES.

Recommended for: Dark fantasy fans, those who like their horror pretty light, those who are down to destroy the patriarchy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Confinement

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Medical content, and Pedophilia

Minor: Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Terminal illness

typedtruths's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Violence, Sexual violence, and Self harm

Moderate: Confinement, Racism, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

lisacanteven's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is quite frankly literary magic. I see the allegory wrapped up in such an intriguing story. There are some really tough topics, the story is so worth a read if you can read through the triggers listed at the end of this review.

The first half of the book is some serious setup and world building. I never found myself bored during this, but I was ready for some action. The setup was very necessary to the plot, so don't stop reading. The first half of the book is much more character driven than plot driven. Once you reach that halfway mark, the story really (and I mean REALLY) picks up. I read almost the entire second half of the book in one day, whereas it took me five days to read the first half. There is just a lot to digest and retain during the first 160ish pages.

Immanuelle is one badass heroine. I loved her from the very beginning. Being by her side as she cleverly finds her way was the best adventure I could go on. She grows a lot in what can only be months' time, and I cannot wait to see who she becomes in the sequel. Yes, there is going to be a sequel. I saw it on the author's Instagram. She is working on it now, and I'm so thankful because I need more of these characters and this world in my life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Gore, and Death

Moderate: Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

booksthatburn's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The Year Of The Witching ties together sexism, racism, and patriarchal religion into a dark and bloody horror story of a girl fighting to escape the constraints encircling her world since her birth. 

I have an active fear of childbirth and a general revulsion to portrayals of it. That means this won't be one I personally want to re-read, but if you don't have that aversion and you like horror, this book is fantastic (make sure to check the CWs). It takes a lot of elements common to cults and religious horror and turns them into a powerful personal story about engaging with legacy and standing against abusive systems. It never lets you forget that this is a horror novel, but there are stretches where the intensity abates to focus on quieter moments between characters. A lot of the horror is found in silence and complicity in the highly abusive system which dominates the MC's existence and guides most significant events in her life, while the high-stress moments are when she takes steps to challenge everything she's ever known. It rides a fine edge of discomfort, usually without becoming more than I could handle. 

I'm torn between wanting to re-read it and knowing that I'll have to be in a very calm space before I can handle reading it again, but horror fans should love it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Moderate: Blood, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Torture, and Pregnancy

Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Vomit

CW for vomit, blood, racism, mass death, mutilation, non-consensual relationships, sexual assault, pedophilia, domestic abuse, childbirth, animal death, plague, torture, major character death.