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mmccombs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
“Kill the lantern, raise the ghost”
This book was an unexpected treat, I loved so much about it. The folklore, the examination of generational trauma, the sibling relationship, houses that are alive. I loved how the story was so outlandish but thematically it remained so grounded and homey. It dragged a bit in the middle, so it took me a while to get through, but once I got to the last third of the book I was racing to finish. This book celebrates all acts of storytelling and bearing witness to those stories to keep the past alive.
This book was an unexpected treat, I loved so much about it. The folklore, the examination of generational trauma, the sibling relationship, houses that are alive. I loved how the story was so outlandish but thematically it remained so grounded and homey. It dragged a bit in the middle, so it took me a while to get through, but once I got to the last third of the book I was racing to finish. This book celebrates all acts of storytelling and bearing witness to those stories to keep the past alive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Genocide, Death, and Antisemitism
antimony's review against another edition
- 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
estranged siblings bellatine (a woodworker) and isaac (a con artist) yaga are brought back together when a strange inheritance arrives from their great-great grandmother....a living house that walks on chicken legs. the house has not arrived on its own, however -- a man known only as the longshadow man has been tracking it, and he will stop at nothing to destroy it and the memories it carries from the past
what DIDN'T i love about this book!!!! first and foremost i am a huge baba yaga fan and while this was a bit lacking in the woman herself, her house was a character in and of itself and i adored that. from the minute he was introduced i loved isaac, because i never fail to adore a con artist in books. i also liked bellatine a lot!! :) the writing was very lovely and i loved the history and folklore threaded through it as well. maybe the middle dragged a little maybe i'm just bad at reading during the week but i loved it regardless.
OH AND. the concept of a world where houses can just come alive when needed.....ADORED. just the little details that were mentioned like this building grew a mouth to let out steam after a pipe burst, this one grew eyes to watch in case of fire, etc SO COOL. i am FOREVER obsessed with that. i don't know what else more to say i just liked this a lot
what DIDN'T i love about this book!!!! first and foremost i am a huge baba yaga fan and while this was a bit lacking in the woman herself, her house was a character in and of itself and i adored that. from the minute he was introduced i loved isaac, because i never fail to adore a con artist in books. i also liked bellatine a lot!! :) the writing was very lovely and i loved the history and folklore threaded through it as well. maybe the middle dragged a little maybe i'm just bad at reading during the week but i loved it regardless.
OH AND. the concept of a world where houses can just come alive when needed.....ADORED. just the little details that were mentioned like this building grew a mouth to let out steam after a pipe burst, this one grew eyes to watch in case of fire, etc SO COOL. i am FOREVER obsessed with that. i don't know what else more to say i just liked this a lot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Child death, War, Death, and Violence
claire8's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Antisemitism, Genocide, Death, and Murder
brooketh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this retelling of Baba Yaga! It is told in multiple perspectives, which I love. I found this book to be a slow read because it isn't a book you can read with many distractions. I did love reading it though!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Antisemitism, Blood, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Hate crime, Violence, Body horror, and Child death
laurareads87's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
I liked a lot about this book. I found the writing beautiful, and I feel like the author has handled serious and difficult themes -- intergenerational trauma especially -- very well. I liked the last quarter of the book best, and found that while some questions were left unanswered, the ending was absolutely a satisfying conclusion. I am not the most versed in Jewish myth, but I appreciated how it was interwoven into the story from what I do know; the historically informed chapters of the story are at times difficult reading, but are very, very well done. What really didn't work for me was one of the two main contemporary characters (several other reviewers have gotten at why); I found Isaac a very frustrating character, and did not like the way the Isaac/Benji storyline in particular was written like it took place in a much earlier time period (Great Depression, perhaps?) than it did.
<i>Content warnings:</i> Antisemitism, genocide, murder, grief, self harm, blood, suicidal thoughts, animal death, animal cruelty, fire/fire injury, xenophobia, death, child death, violence
<i>Content warnings:</i> Antisemitism, genocide, murder, grief, self harm, blood, suicidal thoughts, animal death, animal cruelty, fire/fire injury, xenophobia, death, child death, violence
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Child death, Death, Grief, Murder, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Gore
Minor: Alcohol
alliebliterary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Genocide, Antisemitism, Blood, Self harm, and Child death
faethverity's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Death, War, and Sexual content
ava_marie_sunflower's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.25
Very interesting store about family, healing, and memories. It sheds an amazing light on how generation old trauma and memory can effect the newest generation. Slow moving story but wonderful ending
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Murder, and War
Moderate: Antisemitism and Xenophobia
Minor: Child death
elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Self harm, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Antisemitism, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: War, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Violence, and Grief