Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

73 reviews

once_upon_a_storybook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? No

4.0

I enjoyed this way more than I initially thought I would. This was a very interesting read about witchcraft, religion, rebellion, dystopian, patriarchy, racism, and taking back your power. It has had a little romance in it but that is not the focal point of the story. 

This is literally about a cult that takes place in this village called Bethel, and there is a Prophet who is basically the leader of this cult. They literally use religion to hide behind when creating their atrocious acts. The FMC Immanuelle was born out of wedlock and her parents are consider traitor, her mother died during childbirth and her father was executed. Immanuelle is basically considered an abomination because she was never supposed to have been born. There is these woods called the darkwoods that the townspeople are forbidden to go into because witches live in there but it is definitely deeper than that. Immanuelle is their undoing and rightfully so. 

This was a powerful story that opens up conversations about organized religion, how women are treated especially women of color. This took a while for me to get into but once you get into the flow of things, it really starts to move along. This book angered me with so many times, with how women were treated, how men were marrying literal children and people were okay with it and how people were just blindly following behind the prophet who was literally the worst kind of evil. This isn’t really scary but it definitely has some disturbing elements. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Pedophilia and Racism

lady_valhella's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Racism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia

agnela's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Loved this! I'm so too old for most YA these days, but this was fine, maybe except the romantic undertones. It had creepy forest, witches, old diaries, spells, biracial and queer characters, social and feminist problems. 
This was the first book ever made me sick to my stomach. 
But the ending was meh, so meh that it lost a star for me. Kind of lazy all is well let's leave it to maybe having a sequel ending. I was rooting for revenge and blood and.... I did not get it. Idk if it was rushed or did the author felt bored by her story at this point but meh. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexism, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

cyannaslibrary's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

➵ 4.5 stars

I didn't like the ending.

Despite all of what the Prophet has done to her and her family, Immauelle chooses to spare. Like huh? This man literally took advantage of her best friend and got her pregnant which indirectly led to her death. Did I mention he also killed her parents? This man does not deserve mercy. But I'm pretty sure if they killed him off, there wouldn't be much room for a second book.

At first, I felt bad for the witches, but I realized they're no better than the people of Bethel. They turned on Immauelle the second after she didn't comply with them.

Even killed her grandfather.

 They took advantage of Miriam, Immauelle's mother, when she was at her lowest and manipulated her.

Overall, I liked this book but I don't think it needs a second book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Misogyny

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Pedophilia and Child abuse

blueyogi's review against another edition

dark 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? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Blood, Colonisation, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, Blood, and Gun violence

squisheebee_'s review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Classism, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Abandonment, Misogyny, Blood, and Colonisation

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Sexual harassment, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Suicide and Genocide

lili_geek's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

4.5

This book was an amazing, and devastating, read. For some reason I expected this book to be more of a historical fiction and was pleasantly surprised by the world building that the author created. All of the characters were incredibly with flaws that were believable. Also, the book has a few twists and turns that kept me guessing. Overall fully recommend this book, but it’s a heavy read so be prepared. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Sexual assault, and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent, Confinement, Child death, and Pregnancy

goldenslug's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Death, Rape, Religious bigotry, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

rtaire's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Racism, and Blood

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Rape

suz_n_van's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Emotional abuse