Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

After the Forest by Kell Woods

16 reviews

hailstorm3812's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

I went through on again and off again on enjoying this. I like the concept and the main character, but I don't really care for the love interest and thought the plot got too winding (strayed too far from the path one might say). I also think the villain gets introduced far too late to be effective and her backstory is not handled with the delicacy it deserved.

It was so weird to be like and then I saw a vision of her being violently raped next to her sister's corpse, don't care though into the tree you go. I think that could have been cut and we would not have asked any questions. 

I would have focused on her connection to the town and baking magic like in the beginning for a stronger through line. I did like using the fairy tales in the chapter titles and tying it in. Ultimately it was fine but the vibes were better than anything else.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Abandonment, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Child abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

applejacksbooks's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Addiction

liesthemoontells's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Murder, War, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Classism, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual harassment

ninjamuse's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Gore

Moderate: Death, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent

Minor: War, Rape, and Torture

loveinpanels's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, War, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Blood, Abandonment, Rape, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

sophs_mood_reading's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

We all know and love a fairytale retelling but what about a “what happens next”. 
After the forest takes the story of Hansel and Gretel and explores the story beyond the children’s escape. We meet the children two decades after the escape the clutches of the witch in the forest. But this isn’t the happily ever after we all expected. Hans has gambled away the siblings money and Greta is avoided by many villagers for her strange ways “what child kills and old woman!” 

Greta finds herself turning to the book she stole from the old woman’s gingerbread house to try and save the family from ruin. But with suspicion already surrounding the siblings, a new stranger in town and people mysteriously being killed. Greta finds herself under more and more scrutiny as she uses more and more magic to try and save those around her. 

This was a fantastic reimagining of such a classic tale, I loved how the author wove new magic and characters into the original story, making it her own. 

Some parts of the story needed a bit more or seemed like a quick add on such as the Mira/Rob relationship but overall a beautifully well thought out book with mystery, magic and some big surprises that I did not guess at all. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Child death, and Self harm

Minor: Sexual content