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liv_easton's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
This book was one I've been meaning to read for a couple of years now, and I can confidently say I'm glad I did. The payoff was incredibly satisfying, and just what I would want from a book of folklore. That being said, I genuinely did not know how I was going to finish this book for about the first half. For me, there was just too much time spent on the set-up of the book, and it felt like Nethercrott was trying to build up a suspense around the magic system of the book that wasn't quite necessary, since the magic system either went mostly unexplained to make time for the other story elements (at worst) or was meant to be shrouded in mystery as part of the folklore/storytelling core (at best, and what I believe was the actual intention.
In either case, halfway through the story was a bit long to finally drop the curtain on what we needed to know about magic in the novel. Couple that with a POV that is often unappealing to read and also refuses to give the reader any information for a couple hundred pages (I'm looking mostly at you, Isaac, but occasionally at Bellatine), and I didn't think that this book would ever become a novel I was actually invested in. However, I'm happy to say that I was wrong on that count—once Bellatine's magic was revealed, the story and characters seemed to open up and get me invested in the story enough that I would have given the story a 3.5 stars (the last .25 coming from my affection for the type of ending the story ends up having).
The major highlight that kept me reading was every chapter the house told, as the house was by far and away the most compelling character and also the best storyteller of the lot by far. On the whole, I think this is a super worthwhile book to read, and if you need to skim some of the first 20 or so chapters to get through it, I get it.
In either case, halfway through the story was a bit long to finally drop the curtain on what we needed to know about magic in the novel. Couple that with a POV that is often unappealing to read and also refuses to give the reader any information for a couple hundred pages (I'm looking mostly at you, Isaac, but occasionally at Bellatine), and I didn't think that this book would ever become a novel I was actually invested in. However, I'm happy to say that I was wrong on that count—once Bellatine's magic was revealed, the story and characters seemed to open up and get me invested in the story enough that I would have given the story a 3.5 stars (the last .25 coming from my affection for the type of ending the story ends up having).
The major highlight that kept me reading was every chapter the house told, as the house was by far and away the most compelling character and also the best storyteller of the lot by far. On the whole, I think this is a super worthwhile book to read, and if you need to skim some of the first 20 or so chapters to get through it, I get it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Animal death, Genocide, Antisemitism, Death, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Hate crime, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Blood
sensiblesidekick's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism
amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
It took me a while to work through this book. I'm glad I did, and I'm glad I read this a buddy read.
We've got a sentient house with chicken legs, puppets, two not always likeable siblings with interesting powers, and a haunting of trauma chasing them across the world. Through this, Nethercott weaves themes of trauma, recovery, identity, memory, and community. It's beautifully written, and I will definitely do a reread to annotate say some point.
Reading it right now, as the world continues to witness genocide, is haunting and hopeful. If you're on the fence or concerned about it's size, if suggest giving it a good try.
We've got a sentient house with chicken legs, puppets, two not always likeable siblings with interesting powers, and a haunting of trauma chasing them across the world. Through this, Nethercott weaves themes of trauma, recovery, identity, memory, and community. It's beautifully written, and I will definitely do a reread to annotate say some point.
Reading it right now, as the world continues to witness genocide, is haunting and hopeful. If you're on the fence or concerned about it's size, if suggest giving it a good try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Violence
imds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Police brutality, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Hate crime, Murder, Abandonment, Body horror, Grief, Death, Violence, and Antisemitism
taotechump's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism
vagrantheather'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
4.0
In a few ways, Thistlefoot reminds me of American Gods (Neil Gaiman). Folklore, modern Americana, a bit of hobo ethos, a clever conman. It isn't at all similar in plot, but the vibes are right.
The prose is really nice and the audiobook narrator (January LaVoy) did a lovely job. I liked the Yaga family characters, Winifred, Benji - but was not big on the adjacent bus crew. They lacked substance.
The main themes - the enduring legacy of cultures in the stories of descendents, the destructive power of fear, multigenerational trauma - were powerful.
The prose is really nice and the audiobook narrator (January LaVoy) did a lovely job. I liked the Yaga family characters, Winifred, Benji - but was not big on the adjacent bus crew. They lacked substance.
The main themes - the enduring legacy of cultures in the stories of descendents, the destructive power of fear, multigenerational trauma - were powerful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Hate crime, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
Minor: Death and Fire/Fire injury
readwriterobyn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-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
4.0
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: self-harm, suicide, death, PTSD, cross-generational trauma, genocide, infant/child harm
This book crushed me in all the right ways. I rarely, rarely read stories that are sad or heart-wrenching, as I prefer my fiction to be upbeat or dark (but not sad). This one takes the cake for me. I was sobbing the last few chapters–enough that it made my fiancé determined to read the book after me. He knows I don’t cry at books. But this one got me.
The story crossed generations, continents, and tragedies as it unfolded, mixing Jewish folklore with a modern urban setting. My favorite characters were the house (with the titular name of Thislefoot) and Winnie (no spoilers, but she’s a clear winner). Thistlefoot’s perspective was fascinating: every story it told us could be the truth, an utter fabrication, or somewhere between the two. And it blatantly tells you that multiple times over the course of the story. I haven’t read anything like it.
It was also a unique study in relationships–mothers/daughters, siblings, crowd/performers, townspeople/outsiders, civilians/military, past/present, self/others, ghosts/living, alive/inanimate (and what it means to be “alive”). There was so much packed within this book, that it’s hard to imagine it was a debut book.
Additionally, now that it’s sat on my shelf for a few weeks, I find myself thinking about the message of the story a lot. There’s a lot to say, but I loved (and believe in) the idea that history and its traumas transcend time, space, and distance to be heard; they demand to not be forgotten.
My only quibble about the story was that it was very thick, and I had to be entirely focused to read it. Otherwise, I felt I couldn’t absorb all of the information and themes presented. As a bedtime reader, this was challenging and it took me longer to read than other novels of similar size.
Overall, if you like descriptive writing with metaphors and symbolism, multiple POVs, emotional damage, cross-generational trauma and the stories that come with them, all with a dash of magic, then this is a must-read for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Antisemitism, Child death, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Murder
nisaak's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This book went places I totally didn't expect it to go. If you pick it up because it's a Baba Yaga story, you won't be disappointed. But it's more than that. It's the story of her descendants, who inherit her house. Bellatine and Isaac are magical in their own right. I found it both very challenging and very rewarding to read. At times I thought, "Where is this going?" but I was never bored. I look forward to reading more by Nethercott.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Genocide, Antisemitism, Child death, Religious bigotry, and Murder
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
'Thistlefoot' by GennaRose Nethercott is a wonderful folklore filled novel that touches on the power of stories, memory, and community.
Bellatine and Isaac Yaga have been forging their own lives. Bellatine finds comfort in creating things out of wood while Isaac uses his ability to slip into other people's mannerisms to busk. They are brought back together when a package arrives, an inheritance from one of their family members. The inheritance in question, a house with legs. As the house starts to bring them together, it also has an enemy who has followed it to America and wishes to see it destroyed. The Yaga siblings will have to band together, pull from their family's history, and believe in one another to take down this threat.
This book is absolutely fantastic. Nethercott has created a collection of complex characters that are both easy to care for and ones that are easily frustrating in ways that feel uniquely human. This is also a story stuffed to the brim with folklore. It is told not only through the eyes of Bellatine and Isaac but also from the point of view of the house, which I absolutely loved. At the heart of this story are so many important lessons. How violence creates a lasting memory. The power and resilience of community. How stories live on. Between beautiful prose, folklore and fantastical elements, and complex characters, this is a special story. I'll definitely be checking out what Nethercott writes next because they brought something unique and magical to this story.
Bellatine and Isaac Yaga have been forging their own lives. Bellatine finds comfort in creating things out of wood while Isaac uses his ability to slip into other people's mannerisms to busk. They are brought back together when a package arrives, an inheritance from one of their family members. The inheritance in question, a house with legs. As the house starts to bring them together, it also has an enemy who has followed it to America and wishes to see it destroyed. The Yaga siblings will have to band together, pull from their family's history, and believe in one another to take down this threat.
This book is absolutely fantastic. Nethercott has created a collection of complex characters that are both easy to care for and ones that are easily frustrating in ways that feel uniquely human. This is also a story stuffed to the brim with folklore. It is told not only through the eyes of Bellatine and Isaac but also from the point of view of the house, which I absolutely loved. At the heart of this story are so many important lessons. How violence creates a lasting memory. The power and resilience of community. How stories live on. Between beautiful prose, folklore and fantastical elements, and complex characters, this is a special story. I'll definitely be checking out what Nethercott writes next because they brought something unique and magical to this story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Violence, Grief, Hate crime, Death, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Child death and Abandonment
Minor: War
bemaline's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's one of those books that I had no idea what it was about for a while, but it's a lovely story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Minor: Antisemitism