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eerilyeurydice's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
5.0
alongreader's review
4.0
Helena Coggan writes amazing worlds. Everything is so detailed, the rules make sense, the ways people act make sense. I thought that the exposition was much better here than in the last one of hers I read, which tend towards info dumping. This one is much more subtle; information is given out over time, as it becomes relevant.
I did think it was quite long, but given that it covers years where a lot of things happen, the length is probably justified. Just be aware going into it that it's going to take a while to get through.
If you like well crafted, intricate, unusual fantasy worlds with occasionally unlikeable but always well meaning heroines, this is one for you.
I did think it was quite long, but given that it covers years where a lot of things happen, the length is probably justified. Just be aware going into it that it's going to take a while to get through.
If you like well crafted, intricate, unusual fantasy worlds with occasionally unlikeable but always well meaning heroines, this is one for you.
sausome's review
4.0
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking story about powers of healing, what happens when we die, what it means to be “good” or “evil,” and what it means to love. Told through a fantastical story about singular women (witchlings) who act as the town doctors, healers, and gatekeepers to the underworld of souls. They are necessary to a town’s survival, but evil always lurks behind closed doors, and souls that have been wandering for eternity in the underworld would do anything to live again. We learn about a witchling’s purpose, her vows, and her duties primarily through the aging witchling’s teachings to her reluctant young replacement. Any child found to possess death-magic, or powers of resurrection, are sent to the witchling to live a cloistered and outcast life, but very much an essential part of the town’s survival.
The story pulled me along at a fast clip for the first half of the book while we learned about this world and saw witchling Marian teach young Haley her ways, then slowed to a saunter as we begin living as the town witchling alongside Haley. Haley struggles to adjust and can’t quite keep her vow of never loving another or finding human closeness. Her bisexuality is refreshing and easily slips along the story as a simple matter of life, and we feel the sorrows and challenges of her struggle. The warring lords are also frequently storming towns and hurting with abandon, and in this way there is a Medieval feel to the setting, though the world is clearly a new one. I also loved the sentience of the witchling house, getting to know its inhabitants and letting doors open or not as recognition and need allow. There is also a network of tunnels to a kind of eternal purgatory in its basement, which is amazing.
So creative and atmospheric, I will look forward to other works by Helena Coggan.
The story pulled me along at a fast clip for the first half of the book while we learned about this world and saw witchling Marian teach young Haley her ways, then slowed to a saunter as we begin living as the town witchling alongside Haley. Haley struggles to adjust and can’t quite keep her vow of never loving another or finding human closeness. Her bisexuality is refreshing and easily slips along the story as a simple matter of life, and we feel the sorrows and challenges of her struggle. The warring lords are also frequently storming towns and hurting with abandon, and in this way there is a Medieval feel to the setting, though the world is clearly a new one. I also loved the sentience of the witchling house, getting to know its inhabitants and letting doors open or not as recognition and need allow. There is also a network of tunnels to a kind of eternal purgatory in its basement, which is amazing.
So creative and atmospheric, I will look forward to other works by Helena Coggan.
maree_k's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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? Yes
3.5
An interesting story that touches on the roles of women and what society expects of them as well as themes of love, grief, loneliness and the afterlife. At times the story got bogged down in too much dialogue/detail for me and I ended up skipping pages. Plot was a little convoluted but it all made sense. The world building is good and the characters are well rounded and believable.
queergoth_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
lucaisapenguin's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lynseygx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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
4.5
readingwithgee_'s review
4.0
This book was different to anything I'd usually pick up, but the synopsis really intrigued me so I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did!
I enjoyed getting to see Haley growing from being a young, confused, angry child to becoming the witchling. I did get confused sometimes but I found myself getting back into it pretty quickly. I think the book itself was beautifully written and I somehow the author managed to make a whole load of goings on seem like there really wasn't that much at all if that makes sense? Like all of the information and everything that happened throughout the years in the story could have been overwhelming but yet it wasn't.
I really did enjoy this book so It's safe to say I started off 2022 well.
I enjoyed getting to see Haley growing from being a young, confused, angry child to becoming the witchling. I did get confused sometimes but I found myself getting back into it pretty quickly. I think the book itself was beautifully written and I somehow the author managed to make a whole load of goings on seem like there really wasn't that much at all if that makes sense? Like all of the information and everything that happened throughout the years in the story could have been overwhelming but yet it wasn't.
I really did enjoy this book so It's safe to say I started off 2022 well.
oliviagwynne's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3 stars ?
Great opening line
The name Haley seemed kind of out of place
The story is interesting but I felt removed from it. I didn’t really connect with anyone in it so when emotional events would happen, I didn’t really feel anything.
It is well written
I was making my way through it at a good clip but when it moved from the Mentor/Mentee relationship into the plot line with Leah, it slowed way down for me. That may be because I didn’t really like Leah, but who knows. I just found my interest waning.
I hate that Haley keeps choosing Leah over everything else. Leah has never done anything to deserve that loyalty from Haley. I understand that Haley is a lonely young girl clinging to this connection but a what point will she learn to let go?
The end is a lot and very depressing. It felt like the character learned nothing from her mistakes.