Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

11 reviews

rustbeltcoastie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

I cannot recommend this book highly enough! It subverted so many of my expectations.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Death

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Misogyny

Minor: Death of parent, Rape, and Child abuse

ireadinbed's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

This book was a big surprise for me. Reads so much better than the cover, which screamed a kind of run of the mill YA to me. 

It is well thought out and the descriptions are visceral. Will definitely pick up the author again despite the fact the ending didn't quite hit for me 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Minor: Xenophobia, Torture, Pedophilia, and Domestic abuse

sweetxsage's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This was my first audio book in a really long time, and i ended up finishing the story in the span of two or three days.

Emmanuel is a strong, intelligent girl who lives in a deeply flawed society. It felt so disheartening to listen while so many terrible things happen to her and her loved ones.

I loved the ending,

way more realistic than just saying “everything is fine now!”

.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Death

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

If you have distaste for religious organizations and the power structure within them, this might be triggering to you.

vixenreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

If you love Robert Eggers "The Witch" and want it to have more representation, this is the novel for you. Plus the atmosphere and spooky aesthetics in this novel are impeccable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Xenophobia

There is a graphic c-section in the novel, and it does result in the death of a supporting character. If you have experienced anything similar to that, beware. Also, there is mention of witchcraft as a sin, so be prepared if you are wiccan or practice witchcraft in your own life.

sdsmith80's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

***Spoilers***

I put this book on hold because it was a book club pick, although I didn't get it in time to participate. I'm always a fan of religious horror though, so was somewhat looking forward to this. My first thoughts with it were that Bethel has shades of the FLDS and other local sects that subjugate women. I was pretty sure that the author was going to make the point that women are oppressed to strip them of their power, and that the witches would ultimately be forces of good. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book has a level of nuance in its characters, and the battle between good and evil, that isn't normally seen. I'll let the author tell it in their own words:

"Some of them were innocent, others complicit; still more were caught in the gray between right and wrong. Few were wholly blameless, and none were free of sin."

The fact that in the end, the witches weren't good, although their actions weren't fully evil either, was such a good choice. I truly loved the fact that everything in the end comes down to the choices of the characters. While I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed in places, the hopeful note I think was the perfect tone to leave on.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, and Xenophobia

chronicallyplotting's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

Imanuelle’s story in “The Year of Witching” is about a girl who has to fight a fate determined for her. The land she is an outcast in is plagued by a curse set by her mother to protect her. 
This book is a mix between a religious cult, meets witch trials, meets what darkness truly is and how people can become all-Consumed into it. 

This book, although being outside my normal reading style, was very well written. I was lured into the magic and mystery of the Darkwood making this the perfect spooky season read. The ending did fall a little flat in an effort to wrap it up and leave room for a potential sequel. But overall this was a good recommendation I found in one of my Facebook book groups. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, and Sexual assault

lisammuch's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Death, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, and Medical content

Moderate: Racism and Rape

lisaeliza's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Animal death

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Pregnancy, Child death, Xenophobia, Violence, and Gun violence

sarahsbooklife's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Xenophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Rape

mxfahrenheit's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Animal death, Pedophilia, and Rape

Minor: Vomit, Torture, and Self harm