Reviews tagging 'Death'

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

95 reviews

deetabz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, War, Animal death, Body horror, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Antisemitism, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol and Vomit

unboxedjack's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective 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

2.75

This was maybe more a 2.75 rounded up to 3 for me. While I enjoyed the theme of story as a witness to tragedy and the author does have some command of language, I found myself drifting periodically throughout the novel. It felt too long and that the author was trying too hard to be pithy at points. And while I enjoyed the difference in tone based on the narrative being shared, sometimes it felt like the author forgot which story she was writing and quickly adjusted in what felt like an abrupt shift. I could see this writer being an excellent poet, but novelist? She sort of falls short.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Antisemitism, Genocide, Xenophobia, Hate crime, and Violence

Moderate: Child death

dananana's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Self harm, Xenophobia, Death, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Genocide

danaslitlist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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

4.5

Beautiful prose and important messages throughout. I was pleasantly surprised by this gem. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Hate crime, and Racism

Moderate: Death

zghutcheson01's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring reflective 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

The ending was a little rushed and cheesy but overall the book was wonderful. It has the winding, broken aspect of a tale told by your grandparents who are remembering new parts as the telling goes on and it's absolutely beautiful.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Antisemitism, Death, and Hate crime

Moderate: Gore, Animal death, Genocide, Racism, Body horror, Xenophobia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Violence

kellyanne92's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Death, War, and Child death

winifreddie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

This book almost felt like it was custom written for me. It is an incredible story rooted in a folktale I grew up loving, well paced and satisfying, even if devastating at times. I’ve already purchased it so I can own it forever. This book is the first time I’ve experienced a celebration of my ancestors and their survival, and has reaffirmed my desire to reconnect with that lost heritage. Something tells me that this book will have a lasting impact on my life. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Antisemitism, and Child death

Moderate: Death, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: War, Murder, and Body horror

lizgriffinwords's review against another edition

dark hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

Equal parts whimsical and sobering, Thistlefoot honors Jewish and Russian mythology, contains diverse and touching characters, and includes clever prose. A page-turning and promising debut standalone!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Xenophobia

displacedcactus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

I wanted to love this book. I loved the concept, and the opening pages really pulled me in with Nethercott's almost lyrical writing. But y'all, this book is miserable. Sparks of joy are few and far between, quickly moved past so we can focus more on Isaac and Bellatine's intense self-loathing.

I didn't like Isaac at all as a character. I have no time or patience for smarmy men or people who steal from small businesses and others who can ill afford the loss.

Bellatine was a character I could have liked, but she was so closed off that I felt like she was even closed off to me as the reader, and it was hard to connect to her.

A story about hosting a traveling puppet show in Baba Yaga's chicken-legged hut should feel fun and adventurous, even if a dangerous enemy is chasing you. But no fun was to be had.

There is a final, beautiful, hopeful message at the end, but I had a miserable time getting there. I understand why others enjoyed this book, but I was the wrong reader at admittedly the wrong time in my life for something this heavy.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Animal death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Xenophobia, Violence, and Self harm

Minor: Cannibalism and Vomit

There's a brief off-handed mention of necrophilia, somehow SG doesn't have a CW tag for that one. There are specific scenes of a pogrom and they're pretty disturbing.

elizafiedler's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

I love a good Baba Yaga story! This one is a really cool weaving together of magic and the mundane and the power of the arts. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Violence, Racism, and Genocide

Moderate: Death, Murder, Hate crime, and Toxic relationship