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kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
4.0
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Salem holds a strong place in the American psyche. In part, this is due to making students read Arthur Miller’s the Crucible. Perhaps it is the stories that surround the town of Salem itself. The story itself has been examined a variety of ways. Thomas Gilbert’s feminist take is not the first such.
Though it might be the best fictional take.
Gilbert’s story focuses on the young girls in the town of Salem, in particular Abagail, and how the women are controlled by the male dominated society. He also works in the culture clash between the Native Americans and the European colonizers.
It is a harsh story, but the way Gilbert tells it, it becomes a more powerful story. It tackles the issues of how a society views those who are different. The focus on the fear of the other as well as a woman’s ability to reproduce make this story and graphic novel timely.
It should be noted that some of the artwork and content material is graphic. The artwork is a perfect match to the story.
Salem holds a strong place in the American psyche. In part, this is due to making students read Arthur Miller’s the Crucible. Perhaps it is the stories that surround the town of Salem itself. The story itself has been examined a variety of ways. Thomas Gilbert’s feminist take is not the first such.
Though it might be the best fictional take.
Gilbert’s story focuses on the young girls in the town of Salem, in particular Abagail, and how the women are controlled by the male dominated society. He also works in the culture clash between the Native Americans and the European colonizers.
It is a harsh story, but the way Gilbert tells it, it becomes a more powerful story. It tackles the issues of how a society views those who are different. The focus on the fear of the other as well as a woman’s ability to reproduce make this story and graphic novel timely.
It should be noted that some of the artwork and content material is graphic. The artwork is a perfect match to the story.
nomisabi's review
1.0
I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.
1/5
It is my first review in English. Sorry for the mistakes
I heard about NetGallery on Goodreads, so I checked the site. While I was browsing, I found this book. Its title caught my eyes. I like the movies and series which are set in this age, and Salem is known for the witches, so this story seemed to me very interesting.
The first thing, which was disappointing to me, was the drawings. I love well-drawn comics, and it can disturb me when I don’t like the drawings. The cover looks nice, so I though the drawings will be too. But not... I hated them.
The graphic novel is about women who lives in Salem. It shows their life, their difficulties, etc. Well, I didn’t expect that… I thought it will be a story with witches, not a story about a city oppressed by violent men.
The act was not interesting at all, it was very boring for me. The violence shown by the comic was disgusting. Some parts of the story were incomprehensible, because there were a lot of jumps in the story. I didn't understand how we got from one place to another.
I didn't find anything interesting in this story. The story was chaotic and boring for me, the world was so violent and I wasn’t able to love the characters. I can't say anything that I liked in this comics.
My review in Hungarian:
Régebben felregisztráltam a NetGallery honlapjára, de aztán sosem használtam az oldalt. Goodreadsen találkoztam újra vele, és gondoltam felnézek, hogy milyen könyvek vannak fent. Nézelődés közben megakadt a szemem ezen a könyvön, nagyon megtetszett a címe. Szeretem a filmeket és sorozatokat (könyvet még nem olvastam ebben a korban), amik ebben az időben játszódnak, és Salem a boszorkányairól híres. Nekem valónak tűnt a történet.
Az első dolog, ami rögtön negatív volt számomra, a rajzolás. Én szeretem a szépen kivitelezett rajzokat, és zavarni tud, ha nem tetszik, amit látok. A borító jól néz ki, ezért úgy gondoltam benne a rajzok is. De nem... Nekem nagyon nem tetszett.
A graphic novel Salem városában élő nőket mutatja be. Milyen az életük, milyen nehézségekkel szembe sülnek, stb. Hát, én nem erre számítottam egyáltalán. Azt hittem kapok valami érdekes boszorkányos történetet, nem egy erőszakkal teli férfiak által elnyomott városka sztoriját.
A cselekmény egyáltalán nem volt érdekes, számomra nagyon unalmas volt. Az erőszak, amit meg megmutatott a képregény, gyomorforgató volt. A történet némely részei érthetetlenek voltak, mivel sok ugrás volt a történetben. Nem értettem, hogyan jutottunk egyik helyről a másikra.
Sok fajta képregény a kezembe került már, és eddig mind szerettem, de ebben a történetben semmi érdekeset nem találtam. A sztori zavaros és unalmas volt, a világ túl erőszakos, és a szereplőket sem tudtam megkedvelni. Nem tudok semmit sem mondani, amit szerettem ebben a könyvben.
1/5
I heard about NetGallery on Goodreads, so I checked the site. While I was browsing, I found this book. Its title caught my eyes. I like the movies and series which are set in this age, and Salem is known for the witches, so this story seemed to me very interesting.
The first thing, which was disappointing to me, was the drawings. I love well-drawn comics, and it can disturb me when I don’t like the drawings. The cover looks nice, so I though the drawings will be too. But not... I hated them.
The graphic novel is about women who lives in Salem. It shows their life, their difficulties, etc. Well, I didn’t expect that… I thought it will be a story with witches, not a story about a city oppressed by violent men.
The act was not interesting at all, it was very boring for me. The violence shown by the comic was disgusting. Some parts of the story were incomprehensible, because there were a lot of jumps in the story. I didn't understand how we got from one place to another.
I didn't find anything interesting in this story. The story was chaotic and boring for me, the world was so violent and I wasn’t able to love the characters. I can't say anything that I liked in this comics.
My review in Hungarian:
Régebben felregisztráltam a NetGallery honlapjára, de aztán sosem használtam az oldalt. Goodreadsen találkoztam újra vele, és gondoltam felnézek, hogy milyen könyvek vannak fent. Nézelődés közben megakadt a szemem ezen a könyvön, nagyon megtetszett a címe. Szeretem a filmeket és sorozatokat (könyvet még nem olvastam ebben a korban), amik ebben az időben játszódnak, és Salem a boszorkányairól híres. Nekem valónak tűnt a történet.
Az első dolog, ami rögtön negatív volt számomra, a rajzolás. Én szeretem a szépen kivitelezett rajzokat, és zavarni tud, ha nem tetszik, amit látok. A borító jól néz ki, ezért úgy gondoltam benne a rajzok is. De nem... Nekem nagyon nem tetszett.
A graphic novel Salem városában élő nőket mutatja be. Milyen az életük, milyen nehézségekkel szembe sülnek, stb. Hát, én nem erre számítottam egyáltalán. Azt hittem kapok valami érdekes boszorkányos történetet, nem egy erőszakkal teli férfiak által elnyomott városka sztoriját.
A cselekmény egyáltalán nem volt érdekes, számomra nagyon unalmas volt. Az erőszak, amit meg megmutatott a képregény, gyomorforgató volt. A történet némely részei érthetetlenek voltak, mivel sok ugrás volt a történetben. Nem értettem, hogyan jutottunk egyik helyről a másikra.
Sok fajta képregény a kezembe került már, és eddig mind szerettem, de ebben a történetben semmi érdekeset nem találtam. A sztori zavaros és unalmas volt, a világ túl erőszakos, és a szereplőket sem tudtam megkedvelni. Nem tudok semmit sem mondani, amit szerettem ebben a könyvben.
kirstiereads's review
3.0
Trigger warnings for some images of gore, killings, and some involving animals.
I love reading anything having to do with witches, especially the Salem Witch Trials. It’s terrible what happened, but the faith and beliefs of many went way overboard.
This graphic novel introduces our main character, Abigail, who explains what events changed the Salem she lived in and the domino effect that occurred afterwards. The difference in this telling of the witches of Salem is that Abigail has a secret forbidden love interest.
I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I believe the art wasn’t the greatest, however, for the particular story, it seemed to fit well. Some of the art had a great creepy factor which I absolutely love. The story overall was good and I would be curious to read more. I’d recommend this to any who enjoy graphic novels and reading about the horrors of the Salem Witch Trials.
Thank you so much to the author, publishers, and Netgalley for the oppressed to read an advance copy of The Daughters of Salem!
I love reading anything having to do with witches, especially the Salem Witch Trials. It’s terrible what happened, but the faith and beliefs of many went way overboard.
This graphic novel introduces our main character, Abigail, who explains what events changed the Salem she lived in and the domino effect that occurred afterwards. The difference in this telling of the witches of Salem is that Abigail has a secret forbidden love interest.
I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I believe the art wasn’t the greatest, however, for the particular story, it seemed to fit well. Some of the art had a great creepy factor which I absolutely love. The story overall was good and I would be curious to read more. I’d recommend this to any who enjoy graphic novels and reading about the horrors of the Salem Witch Trials.
Thank you so much to the author, publishers, and Netgalley for the oppressed to read an advance copy of The Daughters of Salem!
bookishfrogg's review
3.0
Stories about Salem are often romanticised, they are full of witches, spells and devil worshippers. This graphic novel shows the truth, the people behind the legend, a young woman caught in the madness of her time, crushed by superstition. It shows how fear and ignorance are a dangerous mix and how it leads to hurting the most vulnerable or non conformists. The Letter to the reader, from the author, was a lovely touch. *Book provided by editor through Netgalley, all opinions are my own*
djenneg3's review
2.0
This story didn't intrigue me. When I read the opening, I was very excited but halfway through, I felt like it read more like a children's book than anything. I can understand it being historical fiction but I feel like it is better suited to children than adults.
leolikesbooks's review
4.0
This was not a “pretty” story. It was dark and sometimes disgusting. The art, especially the images focusing on nature, was beautiful. I’m looking forward to reading Part Two...
amalia1985's review
1.0
Last year, my partner persuaded me to start appreciating the graphic novel. You see, Stephen King’s The Dark Tower saga is his Bible, so the graphic novels of the series seemed to spring out of nowhere in my house. I still haven’t read those but I found a new love for the genre and after a couple of really successful efforts, I was hooked. Now I try to find (and devour) quality graphic novels with a newly acquired confidence. This one seemed perfect. The Salem Trials is one of my favourite topics and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is one of my most beloved plays, the 1996 film version with Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor is one of the best films ever made and I had the fortune to watch the role revived by Richard Armitage at the Old Vic in 2014, a truly profound experience. So, my anticipation was immense.
What I found was an abomination in every sense of the word…
The ‘’writer’’ creates an Author’s Note to inform us that he has taken some ‘’liberties’’ with the ‘’material’’ (because according to him, History is ‘’material’’). He goes on to compare himself to Arthur Miller and this continues for two paragraphs...So, imagine me reading this...Comparing yourself to Miller? We don’t start well, dear ‘’writer’’. In addition, the fact that you’re warning me is worrying. Honest but worrying.
Sneak peek: (''Hey, Abigail. Wait up!'' If this isn't absolutely, totally faithful 1690's dialogue, I don't know what is...)
I won’t tire you. Tell me if you had ever imagined that you would find the phrase ‘’it’s so cute’’ in the USA during the 1690s. No, I didn’t think so. The illustrations are horrible. I mean, they are out of this world ugly, the depictions of the characters and the landscape are unnatural, tasteless. The violence approaches the boundaries of torture porn and there is an utterly absurd focus on sex. This is a violent adolescent’s wet dream, not the story of the Salem Trials. With the pitiful excuse of bringing women’s persecution over the centuries into focus, the ‘’writer’’ creates a...thing that makes you wish you couldn’t read. A horrible rendition, retelling, you name it, of a terrifying moment that produced a masterpiece.
Congratulations, ‘’writer’’. You managed to turn a fascinating story into a bloodfest-ed, sex-crazed B-movie. You need some kind of a prize for this. NOT. It would be better if ignorants didn’t touch what they cannot understand and respect. This was out of that man’s (restricted) league and it showed. Horribly.
ARC from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com
What I found was an abomination in every sense of the word…
The ‘’writer’’ creates an Author’s Note to inform us that he has taken some ‘’liberties’’ with the ‘’material’’ (because according to him, History is ‘’material’’). He goes on to compare himself to Arthur Miller and this continues for two paragraphs...So, imagine me reading this...Comparing yourself to Miller? We don’t start well, dear ‘’writer’’. In addition, the fact that you’re warning me is worrying. Honest but worrying.
Sneak peek: (''Hey, Abigail. Wait up!'' If this isn't absolutely, totally faithful 1690's dialogue, I don't know what is...)
I won’t tire you. Tell me if you had ever imagined that you would find the phrase ‘’it’s so cute’’ in the USA during the 1690s. No, I didn’t think so. The illustrations are horrible. I mean, they are out of this world ugly, the depictions of the characters and the landscape are unnatural, tasteless. The violence approaches the boundaries of torture porn and there is an utterly absurd focus on sex. This is a violent adolescent’s wet dream, not the story of the Salem Trials. With the pitiful excuse of bringing women’s persecution over the centuries into focus, the ‘’writer’’ creates a...thing that makes you wish you couldn’t read. A horrible rendition, retelling, you name it, of a terrifying moment that produced a masterpiece.
Congratulations, ‘’writer’’. You managed to turn a fascinating story into a bloodfest-ed, sex-crazed B-movie. You need some kind of a prize for this. NOT. It would be better if ignorants didn’t touch what they cannot understand and respect. This was out of that man’s (restricted) league and it showed. Horribly.
ARC from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com
iblamewizards's review
2.0
The Daughters of Salem was...not good. It was meant to be feminist but fell into the stereotypes of women's oppression without actually having anything important to say, and was, quite frankly, borderline racist in places. Study of the history of Salem is already historically about understanding female oppression and scapegoating, and The Daughters of Salem simply didn't add anything to that and ended up adding elements that muddied the waters instead.
The writing is too simple, and cliche'd. It's narrated, so the text doesn't build on what the images show, it just tells us the story that isn't conveyed in the pictures. It reads like something aimed at a much, much younger audience than it is. Overall I think it simply lacked any real depth.
There are much better books on the subject matter that tackle it much more effectively. If The Daughters of Salem had not been so graphic in its art and violence I might have recommended it as an introduction to pique interest in the subject for middle-schoolers. But its images have an adult audience in mind, where its text appeals to much younger.
The writing is too simple, and cliche'd. It's narrated, so the text doesn't build on what the images show, it just tells us the story that isn't conveyed in the pictures. It reads like something aimed at a much, much younger audience than it is. Overall I think it simply lacked any real depth.
There are much better books on the subject matter that tackle it much more effectively. If The Daughters of Salem had not been so graphic in its art and violence I might have recommended it as an introduction to pique interest in the subject for middle-schoolers. But its images have an adult audience in mind, where its text appeals to much younger.
glitterandtwang's review
4.0
I'm an easy mark for witchcraft-related stories - while this one isn't an especially new take on the witch trials, it's still very enjoyable historical fiction (and that's not something I say very often). The art is great, the plot is fast-moving, and I'm very much looking forward to another installment.
1siobhan's review
4.0
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*
Abigail is 14 and lives in Salem, Massachusets, in the 1690s. After a happy childhood, Abigail has to realise that her transformation into a woman makes her prone to sexual harassment and that she isn't safe any longer. When she meets a young man from the Abenaki tribe in the forest, things change...
This re-telling of the Salem Witch Trials take on issues like gender politics, xenophobia and religion.
I enjoyed this re-telling and also thought that the love story between Abigail and Mkweh is very sweet. Looking forward to #2 as the story isn't finished yet...
4 Stars.
Abigail is 14 and lives in Salem, Massachusets, in the 1690s. After a happy childhood, Abigail has to realise that her transformation into a woman makes her prone to sexual harassment and that she isn't safe any longer. When she meets a young man from the Abenaki tribe in the forest, things change...
This re-telling of the Salem Witch Trials take on issues like gender politics, xenophobia and religion.
I enjoyed this re-telling and also thought that the love story between Abigail and Mkweh is very sweet. Looking forward to #2 as the story isn't finished yet...
4 Stars.