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faerie_luv's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
gallagirlreads's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
kailiboop's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
good concept, but how is this middle grade having to tackle the 24 year old 16 year old relationship framed as a good thing and not having payoff for the main conflict was not for me. also having to tackle the consent issue of going into someone’s mind was a lot of brainpower i don’t think is middle grade
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Abortion and Miscarriage
vanilla_yogurt739's review
adventurous
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
While the pacing of the book was fast it felt weird. Some parts of the book could take chapters to complete while others that felt more important breezed by quickly. At times it felt like somebody was trying to complete the book as fast as possible and didn’t have the time to completely flesh out certain parts of the book; or that they wanted to continue with a certain plot line but didn’t have the time so the author just left it halfway completed. I did like the idea of the story, it just felt like it was executed poorly.
flaffa's review
2.0
2.5*
I would have rated this higher but I gotta say, the 15 year old x 24 year old romance... It's a no from me, dawg. There's no excuse, even in the medieval setting. This is marketed as middle grade to make matters worse. At least the protagonist could have been aged up to like 17. It's still bad but 15 is even worse.
I would have rated this higher but I gotta say, the 15 year old x 24 year old romance... It's a no from me, dawg. There's no excuse, even in the medieval setting. This is marketed as middle grade to make matters worse. At least the protagonist could have been aged up to like 17. It's still bad but 15 is even worse.
tinasparkle_reads's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
fallingletters's review
4.0
Review originally published 20 November 2022 at Falling Letters.
Not sure how I feel about a 15 year old declining to marry a 24 year old until she is a few years older?! I get that this would have been progressive for the time period. It wouldn’t stand out to me in an adult medieval fantasy. However I’m not sure how I feel about handing a book that features that kind of relationship to, say, a ten year old.
I did quite like Sylvie as a protagonist. I like that she’s only out and about in the big wide world so she can figure out her powers to help her mother. She’s truly a homebody who enjoys village life and desire to go back! Not your stereotypical girl trapped in small town who yearns to escape. I also like how she looks out for Martin and how cleverly she speaks to the inquisitor (pg 231).
Sylvie, just past her fifteenth birthday, had come finally into womanhood with her first monthly bleeding, and then the understanding – the power – had simply appeared inside her. When she touched people, she could reach and see their thoughts and their memories.Healer & Witch is probably the most atypical middle grade I’ll read this year. The narrative style and mature themes make me think it was originally intended for an older audience but deemed not ‘young adult’ enough, or something.
She understood that the landlady thought that Sylvie was unhappily pregnant, as a result of seduction – or even worse, rape – and needed assistance from a wisewoman so tha tthere would be no baby. (pg 37)Generally speaking, Healer & Witch explores the question of how one chooses to use their gifts (via a healer and witch dichotomy), and independent womanhood.
Not sure how I feel about a 15 year old declining to marry a 24 year old until she is a few years older?! I get that this would have been progressive for the time period. It wouldn’t stand out to me in an adult medieval fantasy. However I’m not sure how I feel about handing a book that features that kind of relationship to, say, a ten year old.
The barest flicker of dismay crossed his expression; had she not been watching so closely, she would have missed it. “Ah. Not any longer a child, and yet…” (pg 135)Okay?! He thought she was 17 or 18 and is surprised to learn she’s only 15.
I did quite like Sylvie as a protagonist. I like that she’s only out and about in the big wide world so she can figure out her powers to help her mother. She’s truly a homebody who enjoys village life and desire to go back! Not your stereotypical girl trapped in small town who yearns to escape. I also like how she looks out for Martin and how cleverly she speaks to the inquisitor (pg 231).
kiperoo's review
5.0
Loved this! The cover reminded me of WICKED and there's definitely some fantasy in the story, but the bulk of it feels historical and was definitely my jam.
cdpeterson15's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5