Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

33 reviews

lovetoread18's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Child death, Genocide, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, and Death

honeycrow's review

dark emotional reflective sad 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? No

3.75

this was such an enjoyable book to read- much like the house Thistlefoot, the book of the same name has a life of its own and a story that surely won’t fade

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, War, Antisemitism, and Xenophobia

bellesunbridled's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Animal death, Antisemitism, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Vomit, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death, Child death, Genocide, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Antisemitism, and Self harm

Minor: War, Sexual assault, Murder, and Violence

rachel75's review

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Genocide, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Death and Religious bigotry

hobbithopeful's review

dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

A dark and and gripping retelling of the Baba Yaga tale, one that follows the results and causing of generational trauma but with silver lining of hope and determination.
This was such an incredible read, I was sucked in from the very first page, it has been a hot minute since I have had the pleasure to read such an amazing book. The writing, the prose, the seamless change in narrator from each character, and how the writing style subtly but effectively switches to reflect that was perfectly done. I surprised myself by how much I came to love and enjoy the perspective of Thistle the most, it was like little threads that began to weave together the mystery of the past.
You guys I almost forgot to mention but we get a truly sweet and delightful queer romance between Bellatine and a very lovely lady. This was such a welcome respite, a breath air of happiness in a darker overall story. I don't think I was truly prepared for how dark this story got, my only real complaint is that there were no content warnings.  (You guys it gets really dark a few times, especially when referencing pogroms and other events of that nature)
The concept of fear/bigotry being used to turn people into a weapon is always such an interesting trope that really makes me think about the book long after I finish reading it. I think this stems from the fact that this issue is so extremely prevalent in our culture and society today. There are so many people who have become so twisted and blinded by fear that they will attempt to justify their morally reprehensible actions as logical and sound. (And they believe that they are in fact, morally logical and sound)
Generational trauma is a relatively new concept to many people and the way it was shown in Thistlefoot was both beautifully and tragically depicted. Even if the mind forgets, or never knows, there is something in the body, in the dna, that effect's how a person will act and grow. "Generations pass, and suddenly, we forget. Our descendants are born yearning and they do not know why, for they have forgotten. Their hands are full of fire. Their legs are trembling to flee. The body remembers."

Bellatine and Isaac each represent different aspects of this trauma and how it has shaped their entire personalities. One, afraid to touch and grow to close to someone, and the other afraid to stop running. I didn't even realize until halfway through the book maybe that Isaac wasn't a complete asshat, and in fact was struggling just as Tiny was. 

 
If you are a fan of houses that are alive, a chameleon who can't stop running, and a girl with magic in her  hands then this is perfect for you. (Even if you aren't, you should read this anyway! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Animal death, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Grief, War, Murder, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Violence

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Sexual assault

shirarweiss's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Antisemitism, Body horror, Genocide, War, Animal death, Child death, Death, and Religious bigotry

kimberlynann's review

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Antisemitism, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War

tcameron85's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

This is a lovely twist of Baba Yaga folklore.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Genocide, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Xenophobia, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

torturedreadersdept's review

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

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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

elizabethgreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? No

3.0

 A Dark and Modern Fairytale Retelling of Baba Yaga set in the us. The story gives a unique exploration into intergenerational trauma and the effects of grief. The writing was beautiful and full of analogies and metaphors.  The story is told linearly and interspersed with stories that come together in the end.  That being said it was predicable but the strength of the novel is the exploration of it themes.  I enjoyed the novel is discussing how important stories are and how they can be told in multiple ways and how stories in a way provide a living history.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Antisemitism, and Grief