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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
sad
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
funny
sad
medium-paced
This book was fucking spectacular. For one, it was feminist in such a natural way. It just has feminism in its bones rather than some books I’ve read where it feels artificially inserted. It also explored what it means to reclaim a label that others force upon you and how to find your intuition along the way.
I picked this up as someone who is not actually a fantasy person and has no interest in royal courts or Tudor era English history and left it feeling enthralled by the story. The ending broke me and put me back together again and the characters made me laugh, cry and rage.
Like Maude?? She made me want to scream so many times over her ignorance but somehow the character development just kinda worked. She was so messy and unlikable and the absolute picture of someone who can’t admit they are just as “flawed” as the people they look down upon. It was gross and irritating. Yet I couldn’t help loving how the tenderness of her new family softened her. Hildi and Zita’s love for one another and Rufus’s quiet patience made this little family feel so tangible.
I LOVE a good “enemies” to family story. Where someone so stubbornly refusing to be vulnerable is swept into the charms of strangers. The witches don’t baby Maude or bend to her whims but they show her the respect they believe any human being (or witch or Fae) deserves.
It was also just plain funny and rude and not what you might expect for historical fiction if it’s kind. The Tudor era slang was sometimes downright ridiculous but in the best way.
I will say there are some scenes that involve sexual assault (specifically by those in power) so readers should keep that in mind. Though I think that is somewhat unavoidable in a book from this era and subject.
All in all, I adored it and I think I might need to break into my fantasy era now.
I picked this up as someone who is not actually a fantasy person and has no interest in royal courts or Tudor era English history and left it feeling enthralled by the story. The ending broke me and put me back together again and the characters made me laugh, cry and rage.
Like Maude?? She made me want to scream so many times over her ignorance but somehow the character development just kinda worked. She was so messy and unlikable and the absolute picture of someone who can’t admit they are just as “flawed” as the people they look down upon. It was gross and irritating. Yet I couldn’t help loving how the tenderness of her new family softened her. Hildi and Zita’s love for one another and Rufus’s quiet patience made this little family feel so tangible.
I LOVE a good “enemies” to family story. Where someone so stubbornly refusing to be vulnerable is swept into the charms of strangers. The witches don’t baby Maude or bend to her whims but they show her the respect they believe any human being (or witch or Fae) deserves.
It was also just plain funny and rude and not what you might expect for historical fiction if it’s kind. The Tudor era slang was sometimes downright ridiculous but in the best way.
I will say there are some scenes that involve sexual assault (specifically by those in power) so readers should keep that in mind. Though I think that is somewhat unavoidable in a book from this era and subject.
All in all, I adored it and I think I might need to break into my fantasy era now.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
funny
lighthearted
sad
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
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
emotional
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
This was an unexpected delight.