Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

132 reviews

witcheep's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

This is a book with a lot to say on heavy topics of equality and human rights, from the point of view of the many oppressed groups of people: women, workers, people of color, LGBTQIA+ people – and witches. The representation of different identities is in this book is woven into the story respectfully. The Once and Future Witches presents a past where the rich white men rule the world and don't want to share that power with anyone. So they have made it illegal and therefore almost impossible for anyone to have power that could diminish their own.

 "Seems to me they're the same thing, more or less."
     "What are?"
     Juniper's eyes reflect the bronze shine of Saint George's standing in the square. "Witching and women's rights. Suffrage and spells. They're both..." She gestures in midair again. "They're both a kind of power, aren't they? The kind we aren't allowed to have." The kind I want, says the hungry shine of her eyes. 

The book shows the ugly reality of seemingly hopeless situations for anyone oppressed, but brightens it with the hidden hope that friends and fellowshp can bring into the picture. The main message of the book seems to be that surrounding oneself with loved ones, as well as relying on and caring for each other, is the best thing life has to offer to anyone. When your motives for action change from personal revenge to love for others, you have found true power. For power of the many is always stronger than even the power of the most powerful one alone, and the power of many is what is able to begin a change for the better, for more equal opportunities for all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Homophobia, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Torture

Minor: Sexual harassment and Outing

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense 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

This may be the best book i've ever read. I laughed, I cried, I felt seen. This book is what it's like to be a woman. Anything you do is demonized but when a man does it he's praised. Alix E. Harrow writes about how "behind every witch is a woman wrong." (445) and creates beautifully complex characters like Agnes that show a true beauty and a true darkness in femininity. Juniper is a feral, selfish, and damaged girl but

her final act is to do something so selfless it saves all future witches. She bears the burden so that the future of her niece and all other mothers and daughters won't have to.

I could spend hours describing my love and adoration for this book. The emotional and storied complexity for even minor characters like Jennie and Mr. Blackwell are so outstanding and enriching. I think Harrow needs all the awards and I'm devastated i'll never be able to read this book for the first time again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Transphobia, Racism, Police brutality, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Gore, Gaslighting, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Suicide, Misogyny, and Homophobia

kingkorok's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring tense fast-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? No

3.75

Really enjoyed the way this book linked women's rights and the patriarchy to witches, magic, and fairy tales. Fun exploration of the women's suffrage movement through a fantasy lens. I appreciated that the author acknowledged the discrimination within the suffrage movement and made attempts to acknowledge diversity within womanhood. I do think it was a bit white-feminism-y, though. Overall solid read though, and fits within the genre of womens-magic books like Circe by Madeline Miller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny

Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Pregnancy, and Racism

Minor: Kidnapping, Body horror, Abortion, and Confinement

beccaand's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Confinement, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Death, Sexism, and Torture

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Homophobia

Minor: Transphobia and Abortion

moderndaymama's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Abortion, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual harassment, and Torture

felofhe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Ableism, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Death, Murder, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Sexism, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Racism, and Abandonment

mohera_darling's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Pregnancy

queclecumber's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Police brutality, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Animal death, Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse

Minor: Confinement, Medical trauma, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcoholism, Blood, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment

nic3's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, and Cursing

Minor: Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Body horror, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Racism, Lesbophobia, and Abortion

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-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? No

4.0

I very much enjoyed this fairytale esque story about three sisters who are witches, and seek to bring about magic back into the world, around the same time as the women’s suffrage  movement. This is not the same 1800s that we know, which is are a real tangible thing that is a history long since blotted out of the world. it’s also a world that relies heavily on mothers and daughters, and passing down of children’s rhymes, and the important women’s work to carry spells into new generations. 

It does me a little bit more than I would like. I think that there is a good chunk of the book, devoted to the “all is lost” section of a heroes journey before they find the means to get back at the evil George Hill. 

If I read it as a fairytale or fable, like its inspiration, it is forgivable in the sense that the villain is fairly two dimensional , not quite as realized as I would hope but better than I had feared. 

Overall, I think what made me enjoy this the most was the pros and descriptions in the book. I think that what Alex Harrow has done here in terms of the write (metaphors and similes and weaving together history and fable) is really magical in its own right. 

I also enjoy how much the author in her weave in people historically  left out of the women’s movement. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny

Moderate: Racism and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion and Transphobia