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sydapel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Self harm, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Racism, Drug use, and Eating disorder
dellydoos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
But I will warn you. This book was really bloody dark. A lot darker than I thought it would be.
The story follows Marlinchen, a plain-faced witch as she and her sisters are trapped under their xenophobic wizard father’s control. As the city of Oblya rejects magic and embraces industrialization, the family finds themselves thrusted to the side. Estranged from society as and despite her father’s warnings, Marlinchen explores the city's wonders at night. Where she meets and becomes infatuated with a ballet performer, the lovely Sevas. However, lurking in the shadows is a menacing monster, putting the city at risk and Marlinchen’s new found desires and wants along with it.
I really liked Marlinchen, and not necessarily because of her personality or because of the things she did. But rather how she was crafted. Pieced together by trauma and abuse, her character was thoughtfully drawn out in the way she reacted to certain situations and how she dealt with her father and sisters. Marlinchen’s journey as a witch seeking freedom from her controlling father, embodies themes of agency, resilience, and self-discovery (yay feminism!). Her tale is a dark one, but amidst the darkness, there is an unexpected sweetness too. Marlinchen’s developing romance with Sevas, adds a touch of tenderness that beautifully contrasts with the surrounding gloom. Their relationship is woven into the narrative with care and it felt really authentic and genuine.
The themes in this book will blow you away. Love, pain, transformation and emancipation were all crafted with expertise. And Reid’s use of motifs was beautiful as it was horrifying. From berries to poison, from magic and snakes to even vivid imagery of nipples and feet, this book was a delight to read.
But yet, if you're in a wobbly state of mind, my advice would be to wait until you’re ready for this book. Cause man, it was heavyyy. Content warnings include, firstly: cannibalism, paedophilia and rape, and then we’ve got body horror, gore, xenophobia, incest, eating disorders, self harm, and just about everything else you can image: violence, abuse, death and more death. I had to take long breaks from this book just to keep my endorphins alive.
By the time I finished the book, I wasn’t even sure I’d let myself read it again, despite how good it was. So go into it if you dare, is all I have to say. 4/5 stars.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Rape, Cannibalism, and Gore
dariusmortee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Ava’s writing is amazing. It is compelling and makes you think. The brutality of this story was clearly a well thought out choice. You will need a bit of a strong stomach, although I didn’t have any trouble with that.
I did have a problem with the oversexualisation in this story. The fact that Marlinchen masturbates in the very first chapter was a big turn off for me. This happened more often. I was getting into the story and was enjoying myself and then a tasteless sexual remark would be made.
I understand part of that has to do with what the trauma and abuse Marlinchen had to go through, did to her and there is something to say for that. It did however influence my reading experience a lot.
This book will make you feel uncomfortable. If you don’t mind the sexual comments and if you do. I missed quite a lot of trigger warnings as this is a very triggering book. I believe that was done on purpose. I did however expect a trigger warning from Ava Reid.
Graphic: Rape, Antisemitism, Gore, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Vomit, Body horror, Incest, and Sexual content
haileeraye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Eating disorder, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Gore, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexual content and Vomit
Minor: Rape
jgsnr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Maybe it's because english isn't my first language (even though I read mostly in English) but I found it sometimes hard to decipher.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Eating disorder
sofia_guks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Racism and Sexual violence
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
_annika__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
ninjatrombonist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Self harm, Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia
kyradannalee's review
4.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Mental illness, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Sexual content, Racism, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Blood, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Cannibalism, Body horror, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Colonisation and Classism
Minor: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Medical content
maresuju's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Animal death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Death, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, and Body shaming
Minor: Xenophobia and Rape