Reviews

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

saswarren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense 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

5.0

gilliske's review against another edition

3.0

Wat de schrijfster heel goed kan is een bepaalde sfeer creëren. Als lezer voel je je al snel meegetrokken worden naar een eiland: afgezonderd, koud, donker, nat... Met een al even donkere, koude, gesloten gemeenschap.
Daarvoor verdient ze zeker een pluim.
Wat mij minder lag was het verhaal zelf en de personages.
Het verhaal kwam relatief traag op gang (met dan op het eind van het verhaal wel een spannende en meeslepende climax!), de personages voelden voor mij niet realistisch aan. Ik geloofde het gewoon niet. Uiteraard wel het historische gegeven van heksenvervolgingen en dergelijke. Maar de manier waarop de personages (en dan vooral de hoofdpersonages) reageerden op hun situatie en wat er gebeurde kwam bij mij te vaak niet realistisch over. En hierdoor verloor het verhaal helaas zijn charme.
Spijtig, want de setting en context spraken me heel erg aan.

marenstunes's review against another edition

emotional 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? No

5.0

sllewis4's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.75

Found this quite slow in parts and was ready to give it a lower rating before the last 100 pages and understand it was part of the slow build of the book. The last section was really excellent and found the characters to be well developed with really vivid imagery in parts.

becksbecks's review against another edition

emotional 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

wiktoria111's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? No

4.5

moth_dance's review against another edition

5.0

Mesmerizing. Melancholic. Moving. Magic/Real.

It's not quite magical realism, but it forms subtle waves that could fit to that genre. Actually, I think this is the first magical realism adjacent novel with a lesbian character that I've read. If it was solely a dry historical romance, I wouldn't have connected with it as purely as I did from those first pages to the last.

It did start to feel like two different stories in the last section, but what saved it for me was the ending that left me both frustrated and elated.

Reading this during dark, stormy winter nights pairs nicely with some red wine and Chelsea Wolfe's acoustic album "Birth of Violence" (2019) and the calm, ambient songs from the Skyrim OST on repeat.

I also can imagine this story adapted into a beautiful arthouse movie one day, similar to the breathtaking Norwegian film "Thelma" (2017).

anyamarie123's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

hanniluise's review against another edition

5.0

why.

bibliomarlo's review against another edition

5.0

super mais déprimant