Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

9 reviews

celeste_golds's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Kidnapping, and Child abuse

Moderate: Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Death, and Blood

Minor: Slavery, Pregnancy, War, and Death of parent

risten's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Classism, and Trafficking

Moderate: Medical content, Child abuse, Sexism, Ableism, Bullying, Murder, Blood, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and War

rinku's review against another edition

adventurous informative lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

I don’t have too much to say about Half a Soul since I quite enjoyed it and the cozy vibes it had. Because of this, it’s not the most exciting book but sometimes, even I like to read a more light-hearted book. 

This book follows Dora who, after her mom made a deal with a faerie, lost half of her soul which leads to her struggling with reading social cues. While she’s with her aunt and cousin in London where they are supposed to find husbands, she meets Elias who wants to help her with her soul. At the same time, there’s a mysterious sickness going on in London and they both try to find a way to heal it. 

In my feeling though, the book is more character-driven than plot-driven. It’s quite focussed on Dora and her trying to navigate London’s high society. I furthermore liked the topics that were reflected on in the course of the story, like the brutality of war, classism, and the link between sickness and poverty. Of course, the love interest Elias plays a big role as well. It was quite random how they met but I for once liked the banter between them. The ending was exciting as well with

Dora being captured in the Faerie world and meeting her other half. The ending was quite satisfying with the Faerie being killed and the captured kids returning

. 

I haven’t read many historical fantasies before, especially not ones taking place in the regency era. To be honest, I barely know anything about it, and I sometimes had the feeling that I lacked some of the historical context. Still, it was interesting, and I learned something about this time period. 

Additionally, Dora is a great and very likable main character. Atwater confirmed here on Goodreads what I already thought: that Dora is neurodivergent coded which I really love. It’s nice as well that in the end, she’s

not “healed” but stays the way she is, at least until she returns to the Faerie world

. It was a bit cliché how she has no parents anymore, but oh well. All the other characters besides her are likable as well and I even liked the romance which is rare for me in these times lmao. Also, can we talk about the amazing fact that men are allowed to cry in this novel? 

Half a Soul is an enjoyable and light-hearted read that still is able to talk about serious topics like war or poverty. Furthermore, the characters are so likable, and the historical setting is interesting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Classism, and Misogyny

Moderate: War, Medical content, and Death

Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy

nnia's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

A Regency Fairy Tale about changelings, their cruel faerie predators, magic and some very starchy and colonial attitudes and the possibility of romance and marriage.

The starch was too much for me at this time. Might have enjoyed this book more when I was younger.
The main characters find the Napoleon Wars, terrible, the treatment of the humans by faeries, terrible, suffocating colonialism and etiquette of their culture, terrible, the conditions/treatment of the poor, terrible, etcetera. 

There is talk of workhouse reform but . . . ?

Heard this book likened to 'Howl's Moving Castle', a bit of 'Pride and Predjudice' a bit of social commentary, but the dissatisfaction far outweighs any changes made (I know, it's historic urban fantasy)and so the dissatisfaction that remained at the end of the book was too much. 


There is a bonus origin story, prequel novella included at the end of this novel war buddy tale about Elias and Albert meeting during the war, working together, becoming friends and leveling up. Sort of sweet and at least the characters are outside of any city and in the elements more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Kidnapping and Misogyny

Minor: War

lizgriffinwords's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

If you like regency balls, faerie trickery, justice for workhouse orphans, and just a hint of romance, grab Half a Soul immediately!! It’s enchanting and whimsical and a quick read. Dora and her emotional stuntedness was SO relatable. There’s 0 spice, just one slightly disheveled grump of a golden-eyed sorcerer.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Misogyny, Violence, and Abandonment

evarinya's review

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Slavery, Emotional abuse, War, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Kidnapping, Blood, Misogyny, and Sexism

Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Medical content, and Terminal illness

solacelight's review

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

wtf this is SO CUTE

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Trafficking, Child abuse, Medical content, Ableism, Child death, Terminal illness, and Murder

Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, and Kidnapping

Minor: War and Death of parent

friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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

This is a favorite book. I loved everything. (It isnt perfect of coarse but is quite close.) Everything. It made me think,laugh, stare at a wall for a couple of minutes straight. Everything.

It's very interesting how much society at those times affected one. It’s all about 
the ^unsaid^, be very careful of what you do and what other people think of you out of worry for your reputation. Get a husband in time. Be polite, neat and pretty. Do not dare atract attention with anything other than light flirting, politeness and charm, do not dare be different, rumors about you will affect you and your family. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Classism, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Violence, and War

Minor: Ableism, Child death, Slavery, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Death

buttermellow's review

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Minor: Xenophobia, Death, and War